There are two main reasons why people’s hips hurt after bowling. They are playing too often and using an incorrect technique. Both of these, over time, will lead to stress on your hips.
Unfortunately, hip injuries are not uncommon amongst bowlers. In fact, it is one of the most common injuries within the sport. The issue with a hip injury that it can take a long time to heal and you should rest it as much as possible. This means that one of the best things that you can do is learn how to prevent hip injuries while bowling.
So, here we will tell you everything that you need to know about hip injuries and bowling, covering how they occur and how to prevent them. To keep yourself in the best shape keep reading.
Why Your Hips Hurt After Bowling
Although many people often think of bowling as a low-impact sport the truth is that it is still physically demanding. Sure, you are not jumping up and down but your joints are still getting a workout and if you are not using the proper technique then this can take quite a toll on them.
Wrong Bowling Technique
One of the main reasons why people’s hips hurt after bowling is that they are using an improper technique. The correct technique will not only help you to score more points but it will also keep you safe. It reduces the risk of harming yourself, and this includes your hips.
A common problem with people’s bowling technique is leaning too far forward when you throw the ball. Your body is already in quite a contorted shape with your top half twisting in the opposite direction to the lower half of your body.
By bending forward too much you are placing your shoulders over your knees. This will cause pressure on your lower back and hips. Additionally, by leaning too far forward you may also be putting too much pressure on your toes in order to balance. This will cause more stress on your hip joints as you attempt to stop yourself from falling over.
A good set of bowling shoes can go a long way with improving your form and technique. If you’re an avid bowler, we recommend purchasing and using your own bowling shoes like these from BSI. They are high-quality, come in many different styles, and perform much better than your average bowling alley rental shoes.
Correcting Your Technique
So, if you notice that you are bowling using an improper technique, the chances are that this is the root cause of your hip pain. In order to solve this issue, you can either consult a professional or correct your technique yourself. You may find it helpful to watch instructional videos with a friend and have them compare move by move your technique and that of the professional.
Doing this will allow you to pinpoint the problem and allow you to correct it. This, in turn, will help you to place less stress on your hip joints and muscle, giving you fewer injuries as a result.
Here is a great video showing proper bowling form and technique:
Bowling Too Often
Another reason why your hips may be hurting after bowling is that you are playing too often. This will allow your muscles to be overworked which can lead to damage. This is because you are repeatedly stressing the same muscles, tiring them out and not allowing them to repair themselves.
By holding a swinging weight repeatedly on one side of your body (in your throwing hand) you are causing your body to account for this imbalance. So, you will naturally adjust your posture (from your hips) to counter this. Doing this repeatedly means that eventually, your hip will start to tire. The flexor muscle in particular can be prone to strains.
How to prevent hip injuries while bowling
So, now that we know what causes hip injuries when bowling, how do we prevent them? Well, the simple answer is that we need to correct the problems that cause the injuries in the first place and then take care of our bodies.
Bowl Less – Let Yourself Recover
If you know for a fact that you know and are using the proper technique then consider how often you are playing. Bowling, just like any sport, requires rest time. You would expect to have a sore arm if you were lifting weight every single day for a decent amount of time, so why would you expect anything different from bowling? You are essentially doing arm exercises on one side.
Just like with lifting weights at the gym your body needs time to recover. Using the same muscles and joints over and over again can cause serious injuries. So, you need to make sure that you are not bowling too often for it to become a physical problem. If you notice that your hips are starting to hurt even when using the proper technique then allow yourself some rest.
This will allow your body to recuperate and you will be back playing before you know it. But, make sure that once you are healed you still allow yourself adequate breaks between turns and games. This will prevent any future hip problems.
Final Thoughts
Bowling is a sport that is enjoyed by both the older and the younger generation. It is a lower-impact sport than many, but this does not mean that it is any less physically demanding. You are lifting and throwing a weight at the same time as contorting your body. There is plenty of room for injuries.
So, there are two main things to watch out for when it comes to hip injuries: technique and frequency. If you are a beginner then the chances are that you are using an incorrect technique that is causing unnecessary strain on your hips. You should correct this before you continue playing as it can cause further and more serious injuries.
However, if you are a professional or you have been playing for a long time (with the correct technique) then the most probable reason why your hip hurts is that you are overusing it. Bowling too often does not give your joints and/or muscles enough time to recover. This will lead to further stress on your hips and cause painful injuries. Take a break and play when healed.