Lets face it, if you are a passionate golfer who likes to hit the links whenever you have the opportunity, at some point in time you are likely to be faced with lower back pain. Fortunately, there are some great exercises that will help you work through lower back pain, and also prevent it from occurring in the first place.

The reason that lower back pain is common in golf is that your spine receives significant stress from the rotational movement of the golf swing. You will want to be sure that you are swinging properly and not placing undue strain on your back. Have an instructor or professional take a look at your swing and let you know where you can improve it. In addition to the rotation involved in your swing, you also use your back just picking up the ball and your golf bag.

The first exercises youll want to do are stretching exercises, especially before you hit the course. You dont want to begin playing without properly warming up your back muscles. There are a couple of back exercises you can do that will prepare your back by warming up those muscles ahead of time. Think of your pre-round stretches as progressive warm ups. Before taking your first swings of the game, take a few slow, stretching practice swings to ease your back into the motion of swinging. With each successive swing, you should attempt to slowly increase your range of motion.

Tips to reduce back pain due to lifting you bag include investing in a good bag stand, and also considering bags that have a dual strap so you avoid placing all of the bags weight on one shoulder.

Think about your backs health even when not playing golf. Good back health tips include maintaining good posture, staying at a health body weight, and avoiding stress (which can cause strain in your lower back). Overall fitness is important to feeling good on the course. If you maintain a proper fitness routine, youll find that aches and pains disappear as your body becomes conditioned to the workout golf provides.

Susan Hill

Susan Hill is the President of Fitness for Golf, a website dedicated to helping golfers improve through golf specific programs.

Susan has earned national certifications as a fitness trainer with several organizations including the National Academy of Sports Medicine, the International Sports Science Association, and the American Council on Exercise. She currently trains golfers of all levels at the Sunriver Resort, a top U.S. golf destination resort in Sunriver, Oregon.

As a Chek certified Golf Biomechanic and Sports Performance Nutritionist, she is now among an elite group of golf fitness experts nationwide. Susan has worked with hundreds of golfers ranging in skills from beginners just taking up the game of golf to collegiate, amateur and tour players looking for a more competitive edge.

She is a contributing writer to Golf Illustrated, a guest speaker at private and public golf clubs, and a published writer on topics of health, fitness and golf. She was selected as one of the top three trainers as the Trainer of the Year 2003, having been chosen among over 85,000 trainers across the country.

Her work has also been featured in SELF magazine and on ESPN radio.