In any activity that requires some sort of physical output, also lies a risk of injury. It just so happens that golf falls into this type of activity.
After doing some searching, I found the most common injuries in golf* and was surprised by some on the list. Actually, I’ve never even heard of some…please excuse my ignorance.
1. Back Pain (this, I understand)
2. Tennis…ahem…Golfer’s Elbow
3. Shoulder Pain
4. Carpal Tunnel
5. DeQuervain’s Tendinitis – pain in the wrist near the base of the thumb caused by an inflammation in the tendons that control the thumb.
6. Knee Pain
7. Trigger Finger – caused when the flexor tendon sheath, through which the finger tendons run, is inhibited.
8. Wrist Impaction Syndrome – caused when the bones of the wrist bang into one another due to excess or repetitive movements. Ah ha! I know this one…you can get it other ways too…
9. ECU Tendon Sublaxation – caused when the sheath holding the wrist tendon begins sliding in and out of its groove.
10. Fracture of Hamate Bone – a small bone on the pinky side of the wrist. Don’t worry Cooter, this has no affect on your bright shiny future of Ham Bonin’.
Now, this also had me thinking about some of the strangest injuries I have experienced or witnessed in the past twelve or so years on the course. It never ceases to amaze me how some of these actually occur. For example, I was walking towards the green from the fairway and in an effort to go over the the rope barrier (signifying where carts are not allowed), I trip. Here’s the kicker, somehow the wedge I had in my hand swings up and connects with my ear. Yeah, not too pleasant…WTF!
One of my favorites was when a buddy of mine couldn’t get his P wedge to work for the life of him. Either he would flub 3 or 4 chips in a row or skull the crap out of a ball and send it fifty yards over the green. By the 8th or 9th hole, he had enough (if you looked hard enough, you could see steam was coming out of his ears). In a fit of rage, he swung his club baseball style connecting with the rear post of the cart (that supports the roof) bending the wedge in half and with some ridiculous wrap around action, the head comes back to hit him square in the elbow. I still laugh about it.
Hit’em long…Yell FORE!! (oh, and be safe).