The European Challenge Tour continues to break new ground after medical staff conducted pioneering research into how the golf swing can cause hip injuries.
Last month’s SSE Scottish Hydro Challenge hosted by Macdonald Hotels and Resorts was the first ever golf tournament to have its own MRI scanner on site to examine players as part of the study.
Edward Dickenson of Warwick University, who conducted the research as part of the Hip Study Group, was grateful for the support the project had received from players on the Challenge Tour.
“In 2014 we found that one fifth of players on the Challenge Tour had significant amounts of hip pain,” he said.
“This year we set out to determine the causes of hip pain in more detail, and at the Scottish Hydro Challenge in Aviemore we were able to bring a team of surgeons, physios and radiologists.
The results of this study will be pivotal to helping specialists around the world understand hip injuries in golf
“We conducted questionnaires, examined players and were able to conduct MRI scans on the hips of 55 players. We received a fantastic response from the players and would like to thank them for their time and contribution.
“The results of this study will be pivotal to helping specialists around the world understand hip injuries in golf.”
Dr Andrew Murray at work examining Oliver Wilson at the D+D REAL Czech Challenge
Dr Andrew Murray, doctor for the Challenge Tour, explained that the research is intended to help both professional and recreational golfers to prevent hip injuries affecting their game in the future.
“The idea to have a look at hips and hip injuries actually came from Challenge Tour players,” he said. “They recognised this as an issue and thought it would be good for the doctors to have a look at.
“It’s great that we’ve been able to execute these ideas and take their ideas forward, and their buy into it has been great.
“They’ve been kind enough, even if they haven’t had hip issues, to come forward and fill out questionnaires, be examined and have MRI scans, which can take a fair bit of their time, but that’s been really useful to hopefully make things better for generations of future golfers.
“Golf is a remarkably athletic sport and it’s not something the human body was made to do – it’s completely asymmetrical and wouldn’t necessarily gain you much advantage as a caveman!
“It puts complex forces through specific anatomical locations consistently so it can lead to break down and issues within that.
“Most golfers adapt to it, but the people who tend to get more issues in relation to that are those who hit a lot of balls or making certain swing changes, or have pre-existing problems.
Golf wouldn't gain you much advantage as a caveman - our focus is working out what's best for the players
“Our focus is working out what’s best for the players, so it’s about trying to see what the priorities are for the player and the tour. It’s not research for research’s sake, it’s about finding a clear purpose to get things done.
“Once we’ve got all our findings we’ll communicate that with all of the players and say: ‘you asked about this, here’s what we’ve actually found.’
“Then we’ll share it much more widely, in newspapers and publications, so that people who are playing golf for pleasure, or are looking at it from a medical point of view, know what we’re talking about in terms of the hip in golf.
“Any players with ongoing concerns can contact myself or Dr Roger Hawkes, the Chief Medical Officer for The European Tour, or any of the researchers associated with the project.”
The project was conducted in partnership with the University of Warwick, the University of Southampton, the Challenge Tour and The European Tour and was sponsored by Orthopaedic Research UK, Arthritis Research UK Centre for Sport Exercise and OA, Royal College of Radiologists and the World Golf Foundation.
Anyone seeking further information on this project or hip injuries in golf should contact Edward Dickenson (
e.j.l.dickenson@warwick.ac.uk
) or Dr Andrew Murray (
docandrewmurray@gmail.com
).
