I'm done with VP also.

Well, my 91 year old mother-in-law plays golf with our ladies group just about every week. Some adjustment to her swing over the years has been made, but even with her bad back, she plays and plays well. Her doctor encourages her to keep playing....for the exercise, for the fun, for spending time outdoors and for the best part, dining with the ladies after the game. Her swing doesn't impact her back and if her back has a flare up of pain, she takes the week off or she joins us and just putts.

I would hope that as one ages, they take into account any physical limitations that arise and adjust their game accordingly....and play whatever sport they do with the approval of their doctor.

I don't know that if you could break a hip by swinging a golf club, but you certainly make some very valid points. Certainly the amount of effort to hit the ball a modest distance is huge for some people, especially as we get older. In my experience older and physically weaker players tend to play more within themselves and don;t over do it. Professional golfers, such as those playing on the PGA tour are trying to get as much as they can out of their swings and some swing harder than they should and put stresses that even their young in shape bodies may not accept.
I'm not saying that's what happened to Tiger, but he does seem to swing very hard ad winds up his upper body against his lower as much or more than anyone I've ever seen.
It's very difficult to say who will have back problems and who won't. I think that a lot of it is genetic. Some people play golf all of their lives and never have any problems. You would think that players that wind up their bodies and swing hard would be more susceptible, but then here comes Freddie Couples. Smooth swinging, easy does it Freddie has had a very bad back history and yet is still competitive in PGA Tour event past the age of fifty. The really strange thing about Freddie is that, in my professional opinion, his is not the type of swing that you would thing would cause back problems, but he has them.
Who know? My advice would be to simply play within yourself. Don't be trying to get those few extra yards. You're probably not going to get them anyway. Swing smooth and make solid contact. Don't try to play with the one plane swing that is so popular on tour right now. That's great for 23 year old kids who work out and stretch every day.
Bend from the hips, not the waist and don't bend over too far. Let your hips turn with your shoulders.
If you spend some time practicing putting, Stand up and start you routine after every putt. Standing in one position bent over putting ball after ball is one of the worst things for your back.
If you do all of these things and still end up with serious back problems, take lots of drugs.

About two years after I started playing golf when I moved to the Villages 7 years ago , a shoulder injury I had for 25 years disappeared. Before this, no orthopedic doctor or chiropractor or physical trainer was successful. My shoulder always felt better after playing golf.

You once said you put a lot of stress (excessive wear & tear) on your knees do to being enthusiastic about some sport that you liked and you therefore had to have knee replacements. So I find it strange that you, of all people, are against warning others about possible sports injuries that might occur.

Golf is considered a less vigorous sport by Sports Doctors
 

I found the below information educational for our own family; thought I'd share it.

Below it mentions to do warm up exercises, even before less vigorous activities, such as golf. I guess at our age, if one is going to participate in an outdoor sport, golf would be more leisurely.

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ARTHRITIS and MUSCULOSKELETAL DISEASES
Do warm-up exercises not just before vigorous activities like running, but also before less vigorous ones such as golf. People who go out and exercise a lot after being inactive all week are more likely to suffer painful back injuries than people who make moderate physical activity a daily habit. Studies show that low-impact aerobic exercise is good for the disks that cushion the vertebrae, the individual bones that make up the spine.

Handout on Health: Sports Injuries
This publication is for athletes at all ages and levels, for people who exercise, as well as for health care professionals, coaches, and others who want to find out more about sports injuries. This publication describes the different types of musculoskeletal sports injuries, how they can be treated and prevented, and recent treatment advances from research. It also highlights risk factors and contains a resource list. If you have further questions after reading this publication, you may wish to discuss them with a health care professional.
Introduction
In recent years, increasing numbers of people of all ages have been heeding their health professionals’ advice to get active for all of the health benefits exercise has to offer. But for some people—particularly those who overdo or who don’t properly train or warm up—these benefits can come at a price: sports injuries.

Fortunately, most sports injuries can be treated effectively, and most people who suffer injuries can return to a satisfying level of physical activity after an injury. Even better, many sports injuries can be prevented if people take the proper precautions.

This publication answers frequently asked questions about sports injuries. It discusses some of the most common injuries and their treatment, and injury prevention. The publication is for anyone who has a sports injury or who is physically active and wants to prevent sports injuries.

It is for casual and more serious athletes as well as the trainers, coaches, and health professionals who deal with sports injuries.

Adult Athletes
To prevent injuries, adult athletes should take the following precautions:
Don’t be a "weekend warrior," packing a week’s worth of activity into a day or two. Try to maintain a moderate level of activity throughout the week.

Learn to do your sport right. Using proper form can reduce your risk of "overuse" injuries such as tendinitis and stress fractures.

Remember safety gear. Depending on the sport, this may mean knee or wrist pads or a helmet.

Accept your body’s limits. You may not be able to perform at the same level you did 10 or 20 years ago. Modify activities as necessary.

Increase your exercise level gradually.

Strive for a total body workout of cardiovascular, strength training, and flexibility exercises. Cross-training reduces injury while promoting total fitness.

Tips for Preventing Injury
Whether you’ve never had a sports injury and you’re trying to keep it that way or you’ve had an injury and don’t want another, the following tips can help.

Avoid bending knees past 90 degrees when doing half knee bends.

Avoid twisting knees by keeping feet as flat as possible during stretches.

When jumping, land with your knees bent.

Do warm-up exercises not just before vigorous activities like running, but also before less vigorous ones such as golf.

Don’t overdo.

Do warm-up stretches before activity. Stretch the Achilles tendon, hamstring, and quadriceps areas and hold the positions. Don’t bounce.

Cool down following vigorous sports. For example, after a race, walk or walk/jog for 5 minutes so your pulse comes down gradually.

Wear properly fitting shoes that provide shock absorption and stability.

Use the softest exercise surface available, and avoid running on hard surfaces like asphalt and concrete. Run on flat surfaces. Running uphill may increase the stress on the Achilles tendon and the leg itself.
What Are the Causes of Back Pain?
It is important to understand that back pain is a symptom of a medical condition, not a diagnosis itself. Medical problems that can cause back pain include the following:

Mechanical problems: A mechanical problem is a problem with the way your spine moves or the way you feel when you move your spine in certain ways. Perhaps the most common mechanical cause of back pain is a condition called intervertebral disk degeneration, which simply means that the disks located between the vertebrae of the spine are breaking down with age. As they deteriorate, they lose their cushioning ability. This problem can lead to pain if the back is stressed. Other mechanical causes of back pain include spasms, muscle tension, and ruptured disks, which are also called herniated disks.

Injuries: Spine injuries such as sprains and fractures can cause either short-lived or chronic pain. Sprains are tears in the ligaments that support the spine, and they can occur from twisting or lifting improperly. Fractured vertebrae are often the result of osteoporosis. Less commonly, back pain may be caused by more severe injuries that result from accidents or falls.

Acquired conditions and diseases: Many medical problems can cause or contribute to back pain. They include scoliosis, a curvature of the spine that does not usually cause pain until middle age; spondylolisthesis; various forms of arthritis, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis; and spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal column that puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerves. Although osteoporosis itself is not painful, it can lead to painful fractures of the vertebrae. Other causes of back pain include pregnancy; kidney stones or infections; endometriosis, which is the buildup of uterine tissue in places outside the uterus; and fibromyalgia, a condition of widespread muscle pain and fatigue.

Infections and tumors: Although they are not common causes of back pain, infections can cause pain when they involve the vertebrae, a condition called osteomyelitis, or when they involve the disks that cushion the vertebrae, which is called diskitis. Tumors also are relatively rare causes of back pain. Occasionally, tumors begin in the back, but more often they appear in the back as a result of cancer that has spread from elsewhere in the body.

Although the causes of back pain are usually physical, emotional stress can play a role in how severe pain is and how long it lasts. Stress can affect the body in many ways, including causing back muscles to become tense and painful.
　

That was from back when she was young and didn't know any better. Actually, some of it was from when the sports world didn't know any better either. Remember the famous people who made aerobics tapes in their bare feet? Who knew? I did some of that too. Now we're older and wiser. Still doesn't mean we have to give up sports. Just adjust the approach to the sport.

All the more reason to spread the word. You can realize that you didn't know any better and wish that you had known. And then think, "I'd like to make sure that no one else makes the same kind of mistake based on ignorance." And don't assume that everyone must know by now. That was the point of the doctor talking about it on the news. There's always going to be some people who haven't heard about it.

Now here's a good example of someone (me) not knowing. Now I stand to learn from you about the problem of doing aerobics with bare feet. I have heard there are runners who like to run with bare feet. Is that bad too?

Wouldn't it be silly if instead of trying to learn from you I accuse you of worrying to much and not being relaxed?


Yes, of course, did I say anything that gave the impression I wanted everyone to give up sports? People on this thread keep repeating that as if I suggested that everyone should give up sports. But there are some people, mostly women, who have osteoporosis and it is recommended that they only do very gentile exercises. That's why they have a special exercise club for those who have osteoporosis. And I wonder, "what about those who may have osteoporosis of the spine and haven't yet been diagnosed." I suppose I am allowed to wonder, am I not? :)

As usual, you get the last word. I still think you're over-reacting to the news.

There's nothing unusual about the way I reported the news of this in my opening post. It was calmly stated and straight-forward. Nothing was exagerated. But when people put up challenges to it, and I respond to their challenges, then, to you, it looks like I'm overreacting. But, in reality, there was no overreacting. Those who were opposed to it were overreacting.

Like I said...