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Abstract
Golf is a global sport enjoyed by an estimated 60 million people around the world. Despite the common misconception that the risk ofinjury during the play of golf is minimal, golfers are subject to a myriad of potential pathologies. While the majority of injuries in golf are attributable to overuse, acute traumatic injuries can also occur. As the body s direct link to the golf club, the upper extremities are especially prone to injury. A thorough appreciation of the risk factors and patterns of injury will afford accurate diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of further injury.
The game of golf originated on the eastern links of Scotland. The earliest recorded mention of golf in Scotland was in a 1457 Act of the Scottish Parliament issued by King James II outlawing the game as he felt it was a distraction from archery practice for military purposes. The oldest golf course in the world is Musselburgh Links, which has docmnentation of play since 1672. There is even some evidence that Mary Queen of Scots played there as early as 1567.1
In recent decades, golf has seen a boom in popularity in part from television coverage, worldwide growth in golf course development, and the emergence of superstars such as Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods. Golf is an activity regularly enjoyed by many millions of people across the world. In 2008, the National Golf Foundation estimated there were 28.6 million golfers in the United States alone. There are an estimated 60 million golfers worldwide playing on 32,000 golf courses. The purpose of this paper is to review the epidemiology of golf injuries, the kinematics of the golf swing, and injury diagnosis and prevention in golfers.
Epidemiology
Golf has mistakenly been considered a sport without much physical demand. However, golfers do experience significant injuries. A recent study found that over a 2 year period, 60% of professionals and 40% of amateurs experienced a traumatic or overuse golf injury.2 Shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hand injuries rank amongst the most common in golfers.
McCarroll surveyed a cohort of professional and amateur golfers (Table l).3 Too much play or practice was the most commonly reported mechanism of injury in both groups. Amateurs also blamed poor swing mechanics and hitting...