Three wrist injuries you could develop while playing golf

Many people think that golf is less likely to cause injuries because it’s not a body contact sport like football or rugby. However, swinging a golf club can lead to injuries in your hands and wrists. 

Hand and wrist injuries can develop in professionals, too, not just in amateur golfers. One study on professional golfers reports that 30% of them reported a wrist injury, and the study found that 67% of those injuries occured in the leading wrist. 

There are more wrist injuries that you could develop while playing golf than you might think. Physical therapists can help you learn about and treat these sports injuries.

Physical therapy can help treat these three wrist injuries from playing golf: 

1. Wrist sprains — This injury occurs when a ligament in the wrist becomes overstretched. Poor golf swing form can lead to a wrist sprain, and so can accidentally striking your club on the ground during your swing. 

2. Tendinitis — Inflammation in your wrist tendons is the source of an issue called tendinitis. This inflammation can be caused by the repetitive movements of playing golf. It can also be related to poor swing posture, and tendinitis is most common in the leading wrist. 

3. Hamate fractures — The hamate bone is a bone in your wrist that’s located just behind the pinkie finger. These fractures often occur when the golf club strikes the ground. This impact drives the club handle into the hamate bone. Hamate fractures tend to cause pain in the heel of the hand. Additionally, they often require surgery to heal completely. 

Back in Motion offers treatment for golf-related wrist injuries

Have you developed a wrist injury while playing golf? Our sports injury specialists at Back in Motion Physical Therapy are primed to help you address your injury. We can do a free screening on your wrist to determine the type of injury you have. Then, our team can create a personalized physical therapy plan for you that’s designed to reduce pain and promote healing. Even better, our team offers at-home care and virtual therapy services that may allow you to treat your injuries from home. 

Contact us today for more information about how we can address wrist injuries and other sports injuries or to schedule your initial appointment.