General Precautions: How to Spot Potential Shoulder Problems in Golfers

The following is a list of potential problems that can lead to a shoulder injury:

• Muscular imbalances or weak rotator cuff muscles can lead to instability or a rotator cuff injury.


• Poor form and incorrect muscle activation patterns can cause problems. Ensuring that you have good overall form will enable the shoulder muscles to do their job correctly.


• Overuse. Hitting too many golf balls in practice can lead to overuse injuries. This type of injury should not be ignored.


• Poor posture at address (forward head, rounded upper back, rounded shoulders) restricts range of motion and limits shoulder turn.



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  Lack of shoulder strength, symmetry and endurance may limit the swing arc. Weakness in the muscles of the back or chest may reduce power on the downswing and make it difficult to stay in the swing through impact, especially when hitting in thick grass or rough.


• After surgery or an injury, a loss of motion of the front shoulder across the body or limited rotation of the back shoulder away from the body may result in too much rotation of the upper back. This can result in injury or decreased performance.


• Improper mechanics. If a golfer is unable to keep his right shoulder down, his right elbow will move too far away from his body during the swing. The recommendation is to keep the right shoulder blade down and back, the spine bent slightly to the right, and the right elbow close to the body. A recommended modification is practicing with a rolled up towel under the right armpit.