Boost Your Swing: A Golfer's Guide to Strength, Mobility & Injury Prevention

Whether you're new to golf or a seasoned player, you know the game is as much about precision as endurance. Those first nine holes might fly by, only for your swing to start waning by the 18th. Or you might feel great after a full round, only to wake up the next day with an aching elbow or lower back.

"Playing golf engages muscles throughout your entire body," says Dr. Daniel Komlos, an orthopedic surgeon at Houston Methodist who specializes in hand and wrist surgery. "This means that the better your overall conditioning is, the better your swing will be. Building strength is also critical for injury prevention, since the repetitive motions and prolonged gripping that come with playing golf can take a toll on your muscles and joints."

Dr. Komlos shares pro tips for keeping your body in top shape and avoiding an injury that could keep you off the course.

Muscles used while golfing

A good golf swing requires power and control from muscle groups from head to toe:

• Finger and wrist flexors help grip the club
• Forearm, upper arm and shoulder muscles help maintain positioning and transfer force into the club
• Hip, leg and back muscles help generate power and stabilize the body as you swing

"People often think swinging a golf club is just about the arms and shoulders, but it's really a total body workout," explains Dr. Komlos. "It's a chain of muscle movements that requires power and stability from certain muscles, as well as fine motor control of others."

Strength and mobility tips to help boost your swing

If you want to elevate your game, focusing on strength and mobility is essential. Proper conditioning can make your swing more powerful and fluid, helping your game stay consistent through the 18th hole. As a bonus, it also helps prevent golfing injuries.

Here are some strength and mobility tips to consider adding to your training plan:

• In addition to regularly playing a round and making time for cardio, plan for 2-3 strength training sessions per week
• Increase grip strength through wrist curls, towel grip pull-ups or even squeezing a tennis ball
• Strengthen your upper body through exercises like overhead press, bent-over rows, push-ups, lateral raises and bicep curls
• Strengthen your lower body with exercises like squats, lunges, glute bridges, calf raises, leg extensions and hamstring curls
• Stretch frequently, using slow, controlled movements that work through your full range of motion
• Pay attention to the mobility of your shoulders, neck, wrists and lower back, since flexibility is key for a smooth swing

Common golf injuries

Despite our best efforts to train and condition our bodies, injuries happen. Understanding the types of injuries that can occur (and why they happen) can help you recognize early warning signs and take action before a minor issue becomes a major setback.

Golfer's elbow is one of the most well-known injuries — it get its namesake from the sport, after all.

"In medical terms, this is called medial epicondylitis," says Dr. Komlos. "Interestingly, though, lateral epicondylitis — more commonly known as tennis elbow — is actually the more prevalent elbow injury among golfers."

This happens because of the prolonged grip and positioning of the wrist while gripping a golf club. Other potential injuries include triceps tendonitis, rotator cuff injuries and lower back sprains and strains.

Sometimes these injuries are acute, coming on suddenly and occurring as the result of improper swing technique. "This is more common in beginners," adds Dr. Komlos. "Seasoned golfers know what they're doing and have already mastered their stance and grip, so they're less prone to acute injuries."

Chronic overuse injuries, on the other hand, can happen no matter who's swinging the club. And they're much more common than acute ones.

"Maybe someone who doesn't play often is tagging along on a golfing trip with their buddies, getting way more rounds than they usually do. They wake up on Day 2 with elbow soreness but ignore it, only to wake up on Day 3 with some pretty sharp outer elbow pain," says Dr. Komlos.

Or you have a seasoned golfer whose conditioning hasn't changed, but they develop an injury as a result of the natural wear and tear that comes with age.

"Their muscles and joints are just more prone to overuse now, so it's easier to overdo it," explains Dr. Komlos. "This can be a harder conversation to have. Staying in shape and keeping muscles toned can help but, ultimately, some activity modification may be needed."

The importance of listening to your body

While conditioning and proper technique can help reduce injury risk, the best way to protect your game is to pay attention to your body's signals. Golfers often push through aches and pains, but ignoring these warning signs can lead to more serious problems.

"It sounds deceptively simple, but the biggest mistake I see golfer's make is not listening to their body," says Dr. Komlos. "I hear it all the time, 'I thought no pain, no gain.' But this doesn't work. Pain is your body's way of telling you something is wrong, and it's time to slow down."

To avoid worsening a minor injury, Dr. Komlos recommends taking a break and slowly ramping back up.

"After about two weeks, you should be pain free, and you can go back to playing," says Dr. Komlos. "But if you notice the pain comes back, you should stop and see a doctor."

He adds that it's never too early to seek care for pain. "If something feels out of the ordinary or pain isn't going away, it's never too early to see a doctor," says Dr. Komlos. "An earlier visit is a great way to get the recommendations that may even help you get back to playing sooner."

What to know before heading out for a weekend golf trip

There's nothing like a golfing trip with your buddies. But if your body isn't prepared, it could leave you dealing with some discomfort — or even an injury.

To ensure a fun, pain-free trip:

• Condition beforehand – don't go months without playing and then expect to be fine after a full weekend of golf
• Listen to your body – if your elbow, back, shoulder or something else starts to hurt mid-trip, consider skipping a round or playing a shorter session
• Use anti-inflammatories as needed – help reduce discomfort from soreness and stiffness by taking an NSAID about an hour before playing and before bed

"If you have a big trip with friends and have one more day left, but some pain hits, it's OK to keep playing. But afterward, take it easy," adds Dr. Komlos. "Once you get home, make sure to give your body the rest it needs."