Putting back pain

[bsammons]

So I've finally got a good putting stroke that works for me - it's comfortable, repeatable, and is very good inside the circle.

There's one issue though - my back starts bothering me after 10 minutes or so of putting.

Is this a common issue? Or am I just nuts?

I'm 21 years old and don't have any back problems with anything except my putting stroke. Would love to hear some insight.

 

[Jay Dub]

I have the same exact issue. My putting sessions last about 10 minutes.

But I'm 63. opcorn:

 

[ru4por]

I have the same exact issue. My putting sessions last about 10 minutes.

But I'm 63. opcorn:

Lol.....I was actually gonna type the same idea.....my back starts hurting after about 10 minutes of putting too.....I'm old and fat.

Practice is just pitch count at this age.

 

[Jay Dub]

Lol.....I was actually gonna type the same idea.....my back starts hurting after about 10 minutes of putting too.....I'm old and fat.

Practice is just pitch count at this age.

I think we're scaring the youngster. :hfive:

 

[SaROCaM]

So I've finally got a good putting stroke that works for me - it's comfortable, repeatable, and is very good inside the circle.

There's one issue though - my back starts bothering me after 10 minutes or so of putting.

Is this a common issue? Or am I just nuts?

I'm 21 years old and don't have any back problems with anything except my putting stroke. Would love to hear some insight.

Back pain is a common issue in general, but this particular situation sounds like something is wrong. Did you make a big jump in practice volume? How many putts within that 10 minute period? How long have you been experiencing this issue?

I'm much older than you and have had previous back injuries, and I can practice putting for at least 30 minutes without any issues, so what you are describing sounds fixable to me.

 

[JuanA]

I'm 54 and have a lot of back pain issues, but putting doesn't bother my back at all. Where is the pain specifically?

 

[bsammons]

I'll post a video this afternoon real quick. It isn't sharp pain, it's more of a dull throb in my lower back. It feels like I'm overusing my spinal erectors, like they're getting fatigued quickly from my putting stroke. I only have a handful of putters so it's normally ~3 putts, walk to the basket, repeat, and I take my putts relatively slow and methodical - and I don't lean down or do any other excessive motion. Really the only intentional motion is gently rocking to my front leg and then shoulder down.

 

[txmxer]

can be lots of sources of back pain.

Common cures:

Strengthen core
Flexibility, hip flexors, Iliotibial band syndrome among other areas
Use a foam roller on your back

These are all ideas and things you should follow up on with proper guidance/form if you choose to do any of them. I'm not a doctor, didn't stay at a Holiday Inn, HAVE spent many hours in physical therapy for various issues (back, knees, shoulders).

Point is, never take medical advice from someone on a forum--but, I'm confident these things are common problems for many.

 

[sidewinder22]

I used to have the same issue, but don't anymore. Not sure what changed, maybe getting more up on front leg.

 

[MarkDSM]

For my back I have to remind myself to keep finishing extending if doing a lot of practice putts. Backing up and throwing a different style now and then helps if I feel I am getting tight literally and figuratively.

 

[ChrisWoj]

I think the advice about strengthening the core is the best you're gonna find here. I don't think a lot of people take time to strengthen the entire region around the hips/pelvis/sacrum, and often don't realize that they have weakness there until they begin to do something that puts strain on the weakened area. My recommendation would be to find a good YouTube yoga channel. I'm a particularly big fan of Breathe and Flow. Though I started super-light for a few months with Yoga with Adriene to ease my body into it before I sought out the stronger stuff.

My injury history: In 2017 I decided that it would be a good idea to try deadlift, because so many people espouse its benefits. I'd always been somewhat cautious about trying it because I'd heard how easy it was to get hurt doing it. What happened? I used poor form during a warmup set about 100 lb below my workout weight and yanked something. It basically cost me the 2017 summer, where I actually had the most time I would have had in years. From there the back pain flared up frequently over the past 3 years. I started doing yoga at the start of April, and it has really done wonders for me not only on the course - but throughout my day.

The Breathe and Flow channel I recommended is pretty awesome because they have a heavy emphasis on twist holds that can really work to lengthen and strengthen the muscles/tendons/ligaments in that complicated lower back region.

 

[UhhNegative]

Well you never posted a video but I would guess you are too upright with your torso and/or not using rear leg as counterbalance enough. So your spinal erectors have to do a lot of the work to brace your weight and keep you from tipping over forward. Instead the rear leg should be doing most of the counterbalancing and the torso can be leaned forward toward the basket. Impossible to know without video though, just a guess.

 

[bsammons]

Ended up getting busy with work but that sounds like it's right - I don't use my rear leg much for counterbalance. I'll fiddle around with my putting stroke and see if that helps things a bit.

 

[txmxer]

Well you never posted a video but I would guess you are too upright with your torso and/or not using rear leg as counterbalance enough. So your spinal erectors have to do a lot of the work to brace your weight and keep you from tipping over forward. Instead the rear leg should be doing most of the counterbalancing and the torso can be leaned forward toward the basket. Impossible to know without video though, just a guess.

I thought a bit more on this--if you are using your hamstrings and gluts to balance, that pulls on the back causing everything to tense up.

Many times, lower back pain--on the side, above the hips, can be relieved by stretching the hamstrings and then the fix to engage the core/abdomen during the activity to lessen the strain on the hams.

But, it can be 100 other things as well. Slipped/bulging discs. Pinched nerves. The list is long.

 

[UhhNegative]

I thought a bit more on this--if you are using your hamstrings and gluts to balance, that pulls on the back causing everything to tense up.

Many times, lower back pain--on the side, above the hips, can be relieved by stretching the hamstrings and then the fix to engage the core/abdomen during the activity to lessen the strain on the hams.

But, it can be 100 other things as well. Slipped/bulging discs. Pinched nerves. The list is long.

My thought was that if you aren't using rear leg to counterbalance, then the torso is going to be falling forward. To stop that, you can use the spinal erectors to arch the lower back to make the torso more upright and prevent falling forward.

But you're right, could be 100 different things.

 

[Doofenshmirtz]

So I've finally got a good putting stroke that works for me - it's comfortable, repeatable, and is very good inside the circle.

There's one issue though - my back starts bothering me after 10 minutes or so of putting.

Is this a common issue? Or am I just nuts?

I'm 21 years old and don't have any back problems with anything except my putting stroke. Would love to hear some insight.

Start bending over and touching your toes in 3 sets of 10 or so. You just need to get your back in shape. And, I also have the same issue, but I'm 54.

 

[BillFleming]

I'm 61 with scoliosis (my spine curves the wrong way). I don't have back pain when doing a lot of putting....here's why....

I stretch before practicing/playing (see YouTube Disc Golf Strong).
I don't throw over and over. After each set of 5 throws, I do stretches/short windmills.
But the main thing I do, has to do with my stance. I putt stagger-style. This puts a twist in my back, which is "bad". So after a putt, I will straighten out my body and twist in the other direction...hold it for a moment....then turn back to straight. Then I take my putting stance again and throw. This also mimics "real" putting as I don't throw one putt after another when playing - I throw, if it doesn't go in, I move to that spot and throw again.

 

[Jay Dub]

^^^One thing I don't do before putting practice is stretch. Might have something to do with my pain.

I need to do that more consistently.

 

[SaROCaM]

Start bending over and touching your toes in 3 sets of 10 or so. You just need to get your back in shape. And, I also have the same issue, but I'm 54.

Bending down to touch your toes should be a test, not an exercise, IMO. Lots of other ways to address problems associated with hinging at the hips, lower back, and/or tight hamstrings.

 

[genefish]

I agree with strengthening core and strengthening low back.

I would add if you specifically only notice it putting, make sure you warm up really good before putting practice.

You're also probably hunching at your low back rather than hinging properly at your hip joint itself.