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Golfers guide to lower back pain

<p><em><strong>Dr Richard Parkinson is a highly trained neurosurgeon who has performed ground breaking and complex surgery on some of Australia's elite sportspeople and recognised as a leading expert in sports injuries.</strong></em></p> <p>Golf is a great sport for general fitness, including muscular endurance and cardiovascular wellbeing. However, it’s time we talked about golf back pain, which is a fairly common affliction, exacerbated by the more advanced age of the average amateur golfer. Fortunately, the pros of getting out there on the green outweigh the cons.</p> <p>Lower back pain in golfers is common, as are a range of other injuries to areas including the neck, shoulders, elbows, head and eyes. Interestingly enough, injuries to the knees are pretty rare. Golf back pain and neck pain are usually related to bending or twisting injury and both are, in turn, often related to current swinging of the club. Golf is, unfortunately, a fairly asymmetric sport.</p> <p><strong>The price of the swing</strong></p> <p>The problem is that the swinging action causing the pain is unavoidable in golf. You can't hold your back completely still while you swing. Having said that, though, it's not a tremendously high impact sport by any reach of the imagination, and the exercise you get from being outdoors and getting some gentle exercise is very beneficial.</p> <p>So for people who are a bit older, golf remains an excellent way to get some exercise and have some fun. Equally, however, that twisting can increase the problem with lower back pain and really the only thing you can do is, if you're hurting, work on your short game and minimise your swing. Other solutions might be to work on your putt and to try to improve your score by avoiding the big screen with the three wood. Most people can do a short swing with an iron and get three quarters of the way.</p> <p><strong>The core of the problem</strong></p> <p>When I discover lower back pain in golfers, I usually tell them to go and see a physio and get some work done on their core. In the meantime, they can still work on their short game while they gradually find their way back to full strength with the assistance of a physio. Core strength is the key to avoiding golf back pain. Golfers need to learn how to turn their core on—to engage it, in other words—when they swing, and to start approaching their game in a physiological way with a bit of knowledge about how their body works.</p> <p>There are a lot of golfers out there, and it is, generally speaking, a low-risk game for injuries—but what if you have an established back problem or disc herniation, what should you do about your golf? After I perform disc surgery, I usually tell patients to have three months off golf, because the twisting can predispose you to golf back pain.</p> <p><strong>Your first step</strong></p> <p>If you do have an injury, it's always worthwhile giving it some physiotherapy and, as a Sydney neurosurgeon, I can definitely refer my patients to a physio with an interest in golfing injuries.</p> <p>There are physios out there that specialise in asymmetric sports; then there are those that specialise in over-arm sports − and there are those physios that specialise in bending and twisting type sports.</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

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Golfer Camilo Villegas’ baby daughter dies

<p><span>Golf star Camilo Villegas’ broke down in tears when speaking about his 22-month-old daughter who died last month due to rumours on her brain and spine.</span><br /><br /><span>Villegas, 38, had one child who tragically passed away in Miami after surgery and chemotherapy, <em>The Sun</em> initially reported..</span><br /><br /><span>PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said in a statement: “The PGA Tour is deeply saddened having lost a member of our family, Mia Villegas.</span><br /><br /><span>“We grieve with Camilo and Maria and our thoughts and prayers are with the Villegas family.”</span><br /><br /><span>Villegas has yet to speak on his family’s major tragedy, but could not hold back his tears when he spoke on his little girl’s battle in June.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BsEc9u3HitE/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BsEc9u3HitE/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Camilo Villegas (@camilovillegasofficial)</a> on Dec 31, 2018 at 3:07pm PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>While speaking at TPC Sawgrass, Villegas admitted life had been hard for the family since they learnt about Mia’s illness, saying: “It’s been tough.</span><br /><br /><span>“I’m probably going to get emotional but that’s fine.</span><br /><br /><span>“It’s inspiring, to see my little one fighting.</span><br /><br /><span>“My wife has been very strong, and you’ve got to follow your instincts, and honestly I don’t know if my instincts are to come play this week.</span><br /><br /><span>“I don’t really know where my mind is. I know where my heart is. But you also have to listen to the people that love you.</span><br /><br /><span>“My wife said, ‘Just go out there and enjoy. Golf is what you’ve done for years, golf has given you so many great things’.”</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx8h3JMjW8s/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx8h3JMjW8s/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Maria (@maria_ochoam)</a> on May 26, 2019 at 5:24pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>The golfing star and his wife Maria first noticed something was wrong when Mia began crying more than usual back in February.</span><br /><br /><span>The Colombian golfer, who reached a high of No. 7 in the world rankings in September 2008, said: “She always went to the gym with me; it was one of our bonding spots.</span><br /><br /><span>“She was always like a little monkey, climbing on everything. But then one day, I noticed she had not been climbing on anything.</span><br /><br /><span>“She had also been crying a little more than normal at night.</span><br /><br /><span>“She had been teething, so we took her to the paediatrician, thinking it was that.”</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8XgyMQDB4I/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8XgyMQDB4I/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Maria (@maria_ochoam)</a> on Feb 9, 2020 at 5:08pm PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>On March 14 the couple took their little girl to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami for scans.</span><br /><br /><span>It was then they learnt that doctors had found tumours were growing on her brain and spine.</span><br /><br /><span>Mia underwent surgery but doctors informed Villegas and his wife that there would be more treatment required.</span><br /><br /><span>Villegas went on to say: “After the surgery, when it was time to remove the stitches, they learned the growth had become pretty aggressive.</span><br /><br /><span>“We were told we needed to start treatment right away, so they kept us there. Physically, though, she wasn’t ready to get the kind of chemo doctors were hoping for.”</span><br /><br /><span>Villegas has not played since finishing 33rd at the Korn Ferry Tour event in June.</span></p>

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Try this simple yoga warm-up to improve your golf game

<p class="gmail-p3"><em><strong>Tracy Adshead is a yoga teacher specialising in yoga for seniors. She is passionate about bringing healing and healthy ageing to the community.</strong></em></p> <p class="gmail-p3">I read recently that there are very few professional golfers who do not have their own personal yoga instructor. Nice work if you can get it! For the rest of us, the primary reason to combine yoga with sporting activities is to prevent injury – long strong muscles don’t tear as easily as short strong muscles. This 5-minute warm-up for golf focuses on the 3 key parts of the body used in a golf swing – hips/glutes, core/pelvis, and upper back.<span class="gmail-apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="gmail-p3">The reason they are key to your swing is because they create the force that is transmitted through the forearms into the club. If these areas are working well together then there’s a better chance of making an efficient swing. Yoga allows us to specifically target these areas of the body, allowing both mobility and stability to be enhanced. Breath awareness switches on the mindfulness aspect and fine tunes your awareness as to how these key areas are moving together.<span class="gmail-apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="gmail-p3">Enjoy this video, possibly try it at home a few times. Let me know if it works well for you.</p> <p class="gmail-p3"><em>Follow Tracy on Facebook <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TracyChairYoga/" target="_blank">here</a></strong></span>. </em></p>

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