Golf players often experience pain and tenderness on the inner side of elbows and wrists. It is because of excessive repetition of the same muscle, improper equipment, and poor playing technique. That’s where stretching exercises come to play to help you prevent wrist and elbow injury.
Here, we’ll explore 9 essential exercises for golfers. These exercises can help in:
- Reducing risk for injury
- Providing relief in elbow and wrist
- Improving your overall performance
Consider doing these exercises before and after every round of golf for optimal results.
Resource: Best Training Program to Score Lower (Break 80)
9 Best Golf Stretches for Golfers Elbow
#1: Golfer’s Elbow Stretch
It stretches the forearm muscles, which reduces tension in the arm and elbow and provides relief.
How to do it:
- Start by extending your right arm in front. Face your palm down.
- Pull your right hand fingers down by using your left hand and hold it for 30 seconds.
- Return your palm to the initial position. Pull your wrist up towards your body for 30 seconds.
- Repeat it 2 to 6 times on each side.
#2: Prayer Stretch
This exercise helps in relieving carpal tunnel syndrome caused by constant gripping.
How to do it:
- Join your palm together in front of your chest.
- Move your hands down or toward your waist by keeping your palms against each other.
- Hold for 30-40 seconds and repeat 2 to 6 times.
#3: Wrist Extension
Wrist extension is a warm-up exercise that builds flexibility and mitigates the risk of injury.
How to do it:
- Raise your arm in front of you and bend your wrist in an upward direction.
- Apply gentle pressure across the palm by using your opposite hand.
- Pull your hand back or towards your body until you feel a soft stretch on the inner side of your forearm.
- Hold it there for 15-20 seconds.
- Repeat 3-5 times, then perform this exercise on the other side.
#4: Wrist Flexion
Wrist flexion helps in improving the flexibility of the muscles.
How to do it:
- Straighten your arm and bend your wrist with your palm facing down.
- Apply gentle pressure across the palm by using your opposite hand.
- Pull your hand back or towards your body until you feel a soft stretch on the outer side of your forearm.
- Hold it there for 15-20 seconds.
- Repeat 3-5 times, then perform this exercise on the other side.
- Do not lock your elbow.
#5: Forearm Supination and Pronation
It is a dumbbell exercise to strengthen forearm muscles. You have to do this first without weight. When you complete 30 repetitions with no increase in pain, move forward by increasing weight.
How to do it:
- Start by bending your elbow to 90 degrees on a table, take support for your forearm, and place your wrist at the edge.
- Turn the palm facing up and return to the initial position slowly.
- Turn the palm facing down and return to the starting position slowly.
- This process completes one repetition. Repeat 30 times or 2 consecutive times before increasing weight.
#6: Isometric Wrist Flexion
Isometric wrist Flexion exercise helps in relieving pain and strengthens the muscles to avoid injury during the game.
How to do it:
- Keep your affected forearm on the table while sitting with your palm facing up.
- Apply pressure from your opposite palm to the affected hand.
- Press your palm upwards as your other hand creates resistance by pressing it down.
- Continue for 10-15 seconds, then increase the resistance slowly.
- Repeat 12-15 times.
Do not move your body throughout the exercise.
#7: Isometric Wrist Extension
Isometric wrist Extension helps in strengthening the muscles to avoid injury.
How to do it:
- Keep your affected forearm on the table while sitting with your palm facing down.
- Apply pressure from your opposite palm to the affected hand.
- Press your palm upwards as your other hand creates resistance by pressing it down.
- Continue for 10-15 seconds, then increase the resistance slowly.
- Repeat 12-15 times
#8: Band Elbow Flexion
It is a combination exercise to strengthen both elbow and wrist by keeping the wrist in a neutral position and elbow under resistance.
How to do it:
- Start by placing one end of the band under your foot.
- Hold the other end with your elbow by your side and palm facing up.
- Keep the wrist straight while lifting the band upward.
- Hold this position for a few seconds and slowly return.
- Repeat 10-12 times of 2-3 sets.
Golf Resource: Foy Golf Academy Practice System + Practice Plans
#9: Rubber Band Finger Extension
It is a great exercise to provide strength to fingers.
How to do it:
- Rest your forearm on the chair or table.
- Grab a rubber band and wrap it around your fingers.
- Keep your wrist in a normal position with your facing center.
- Stretch your fingers as wide as you can and keep the rubber band in place.
- Repeat 10 -15 times of 3-4 sets.
Frequently Asked Questions: Elbow & Wrist Exercises
How often should you exercise?
Try to do one set of each exercise before and after playing golf for at least 30-60 seconds. Stretching will help in keeping your body active and maintaining overall body balance.
Why should you do golf stretching exercises?
If you want a safe game without injury, golf stretching is a must for you. The reason behind it include:
- To be safe from injury
- To keep the balance
- To improve golf swing
- To increase confidence
What happens if you don’t treat elbow and wrist injuries?
Treatment of elbow and wrist injuries is mandatory even if you don’t experience severe pain. If left untreated, it will lead to permanent grip injury, chronic elbow pain, and an extreme level of muscle damage.
The last treatment is surgery, which is a matter of suffering in the long run and spending a tremendous amount of money.
How to prevent golf injuries?
Avoiding golf injuries at any age level requires golfers to develop a perfect swing technique. Playing with poor swing mechanics will increase the chances of injury due to excessive stress on the shoulders, back, and elbows. You must also have a specific stretching or flexibility routine before starting each round.