Abstract:

Objective To analyze the evidence of risk factors and health and rehabilitation intervention strategies for lower back injuries in adult golfers.

Methods A thematic search method was employed, retrieving literature related to low back pain in adult golfers from PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, CNKI, VIP and Wanfang Data, with publication dates ranging from inception to April 1st, 2024. Authors, country, publication time, study subjects, risk factors for low back pain and intervention strategies were extracted from the literature for systematic review.

Results Nine English articles from the United States, Australia, South Korea, Portugal and South Africa were included, involving 237 golfers, three survey studies, one prospective cohort study, five randomized controlled trial (RCT) and quasi-RCT articles were enrolled. The study subjects included adult professional and amateur golfers. The primary risk factors were excessive repetition of non-standard golf swinging movements resulting in excessive lumbar torsion and overuse of the lumbar musculature; abnormal activation patterns of the rectus abdominis, erector spinae and latissimus dorsi muscles; and functional limitation of the trunk and hip joints, causing excessive lumbar compensation during the swinging motion. Health and rehabilitation intervention strategies included the comprehensive application of electromyography and ultrasound biofeedback technologies with a focus on screening the lumbar weak muscle groups and swinging actions, optimizing training load, and standardizing swinging technical movements; strengthening functional training of the trunk and hip joints; and enhancing strength training of the abdominal and core muscle groups, as well as the deep muscle groups.

Conclusion The risk factors for low back pain in adult golfers are primarily associated with excessive repetition of improper golf swing techniques, insufficient strength in the abdominal and core muscle groups, and functional limitations of the trunk and hip joints. Key intervention strategies include optimizing training load using electromyography and ultrasound biofeedback techniques, standardizing swing techniques, enhancing trunk and hip joint functional training, and strengthening waist, abdominal, core and deep muscle group strength training. The implementation of these strategies helps to reduce the risk of low back pain in golfers, enhance athletic performance, and promote physical and mental health.

Key words: golfer, low back pain, risk, intervention, scoping review