Is Disc Golf A Safe Sport?????????

I don't know but I'd like to find out and I think you would also.

I am conducting a study on disc golf injuries and I need DGers to participate. You simply need to log the number of hours you play and then if you have an injury, fill out an injury report form.

Check out the site at www.sportsdc.net/DGStudy

Also, reply to this topic with ways you think the sport can be made safer.

Dr. Doug Maxeiner

[eric beich]

done :) and one thing I rarely see people do except at some tourneys is warm up/stretch beforehand.
I could be wrong but I think thats important, not just making some warm up shots. ?

nothing worse than a serious injury in the middle of a tournament :(

[Brak]

I can't help but think this is a joke and of course if it is then i am the one wearing the silly hat, but asking serious questions about disc golf injuries is like, well i don't know, asking serious questions about the dangers of walking, i once tripped over a log and sprained my face kinda thing. Typing that i see that is the ONLY injury that you could blame on DG is a sprain to some part of your arm which is would most likely be a pre-existing condition anyway, unless you are a crazy avid dg'er. The overall point i make is that if you can walk and move your arm you should be more than capable of playing a round of disc golf without injuring yourself just as you could any other daily activity i.e. walking to Burger King or throwing rocks at street signs.

[Doug Maxeiner]

Some responses:
Eric: Warm-ups are important before rigorous physical activity. This could mean slowly increasing your level of activity to get the blood flowing. When you are younger, this takes less time but as you get older it is harder to get things moving properly. Stretching is another way to warm up but the jury is still out on whether or not it helps performance.

Brak: This is a serious study and your skepticism is unfortunately not the first I have encountered with this project. Is disc golf safer than ball golf? There are several studies on ball golf injuries(www.pubmed.com search golf injury). What if you went to your local parks dept and said DG is safer than tennis and softball so lets build a course. They might be inclined to say where is your proof? Or they do give you land but the terrain is not safe for walking? Is there any proof that DGers get injured in rough ground? What is the safest way to throw? Backhand? Forehand? Thumber?
At the BG Ams Ernie asked how many people have been injured playing DG and even I was surprised at the number of hands that went up (over 20/700).
I do think that DG is a safe sport and one I enjoy playing but I think the sport would benefit from a study like this. Also, I am not trying to "prove" disc golf is safe but I just want some accurate data to draw a conclusion from and that is why I am asking for a lot of participation from my fellow DGers.
BTW check out the injury log where I think you will see several ways people can/have been injured playing DG www.sportsdc.net/DGStudy/injury.htm

[BogieWon]

Doc - I've been playing for over 15 years now, and I've only seen two injuries. Both during tourneys and both involved ankle injuries realated to tee-ing off (one on cement tees and one on dirt tees). Both went to the hospital, but were otherwise ok. I know this is a bit anecdotal, but I hope it helps you out.

[essjay]

Last summer at the first series tourney of the year, I threw an upshot and my foot slipped a bit, resulting in torn cartilage in my hip socket. not fun. also, a previous injury to my shoulder leads to subluxation (partial disclocation) occasionally when I throw. yeah stuff happens. also, speaking of injuries - poison oak. enough said. hehe

[Ben Calhoun]

Worst I have seen..
Broken leg disc golfing. Back in about 2002, a local big tall guy's plant foot hit the mud in front of the tee and he fell and broke his leg in 2 places, was in a cast for the entire season.
Then there's things that can happen anywhere outdoors like thorns, smacking hands on trees, poison ivy, bee stings, etc.
Once I fell on a clay creek bed at Banklick and cracked my head, it hurt to move for awhile.
9 years ago while trying to throw a sharp turnover roller i messed my back up and couldn't throw for 2 months.

[John McMullen]

Safe? Yes.
Possible to get hurt ... sure.
Safer than driving a car ... definitely!

I broke my leg in Dec '07. See my blog for details.
I was teeing off on a natural tee pad, slipped, and broke my tibia, and fibula.
I've also pulled muscles when throwing overhand/thumber shots.

[Tabi]

My very first season out playing, I tore the muscles in my shoulder and arm. After 3 months of physical therapy, I learned what muscles and exercises needed done to maintain my shoulder/arm. I haven't had any problems since. I have a bum knee (from a non-disc golf sports injury) and that limits my game a little as far as long rounds go but I can't chalk that up to DG injury. I'd have to say for me, definitely the arm/shoulder.

[Doug Maxeiner]

Sorry to hear about everyone's mishaps on (and off) the course. For those of you un-injured and playing, I really need your help with logging playing time so PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE sign up for the study. It should only take about 30 seconds a week and we can get some really good data. YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE INJURED TO PARTICIPATE. This study needs your participation to be successful. I will send an email reminder every 2 weeks just to make it a "no brainer".

[Disc Flinging B!#ch]

Well I once sprained my back slipping off a tee. It was the farthest forehand I had thrown at the time so I didn't mind much. The lesson here is DO NOT wear worn out Burks on cement tees (or any tees for that matter). I was out of commission for about two months (but Aflac paid me lots of $$$). Other than that miner sprains and aggravating old injuries, and my carpal tunnel. My chiropractor recommends golfing for me, even with the repetitive twisting motion, because it is low impact exercise. I've seen one ankle break, and my friends have blown out their knees (weak knees run in that family). Other than the treacherous terrain on some courses and the 6 in drop off some tees, I think Disc golf is rather safe.

[Steve Oberg]

I'll take some time to answer your survey. Although I understand where the skeptics are coming from, I can see that having some studies that show the very low injury occurances of disc golf being helpful as you mentioned.

I've been golfing casually for several years now, but only seriously for a two years or so. I used to drive standstill, and was sick of never being able to throw much more than 300'. I've added a run up this spring, and in the last 3-4 months, that's meant playing 3-6 rounds a week, every week, and practicing putting, or driving in the front yard when I can't get a round in. I've noticed this year that I have some fairly constant nagging pain in my right knee (Plant leg), and also my right elbow (throwing arm). I'm actually planning on having my doctor take a look shortly. This year, I'm throwing further than I ever have, but at the same time, after several days of golfing in a row, I have the most significant soreness in only these two spots. I've rattled my brain to think of anything else in my daily routine that could contribute, but am coming up blank.
Thankfully, my wife's due for our first anytime now, so I'll be getting the likely rest from DG that I'm expecting the doctor to suggest.
Any repetitive action can potentially cause injury, one wouldn't mock the secretary with carpal tunnel for getting hurt by her keyboard. Have some respect for the guy that's taking the time to help our sport and fill out his survey.

Steve

[Disc Player Sports]

Here's the ultimate!
During the Daytona Open 2001. 2 courses that year. Tuscawilla Park & LPGA Practice course, there was an accident. No there wasn't a golf cart involved, but a golf ball.

Hole #4, was at the edge, what we thought was very far away from the 'driving range.'
A guy or girl hit the 'drive of their life' and hit a disc golfer on top of the head, with the struck ball.
Yes this really happened. Had a 'doctor' look at him immediately, sent him to the hospital for staples in "on" his head. He continued to play the rest of the tournament.

At the Awards Ceremony I gave him a hard hat that everyone in the tournament signed. The disc golfer involved also 'cashed' in the advanced division.
(For future information, golf courses are not liable for injuries on their property).