Warmer weather is coming upon us quick, and for many of us that means one thing: Golf season!

Whether your're a scratch golfer or just a weekend duffer, there's no reason for back pain to shorten your season. 24% of PGA Tour pros experience low back pain, and even the great Tiger Woods credits his chiropractor with helping his game.

By following these simple tips, you can prepare your body for many years of pain-free golf.

Purchase Equipment that Fits

Do not try to adapt your swing to ill-fitting clubs. A siz-footer using clubs made for a golfer five inches shorter could face back trouble.

Make Sure to Stretch

Spending a little extra time performing quality stretches increases trunk flexibility. Stretching BEFORE AND AFTER your round is the best way to reduce post-game soreness and stiffness. To set up a stretching exercise routine, see your chiropractor.

Take Lessons

Learning proper swing technique is critical to avoiding golf injuries. Many golfers contort their bodies into oddly twisted postures, generating a great deal of torque. Add to this a bent-over stance, repeat 70-100 time per three or four hour round, add the fatigue that comes with walking several miles, and you've got a recipe for potential lower back trouble.

Avoid Metal Spikes

They don't just tear up the greens, they also increase stress on your back.

Pull - Don't carry - Your Golf Bag

Carrying a heavy golf bag for two-to four hours can cause the spine to compress, leading to nerve irritation and even disk problems. Tiding in a golf cart can be hard on your back as well. The bouncing and jiggling associated with carts can be stressful to the spine. Try to alternate riding and walking every other hold, if possible.

Take the "Drop"

One bad swing, or striking an unseen root or rock with your club, can damage your wrists as well as your back. If you're not sure whether you can take a clean swing, play it safe and take the drop.

Be aware of "Golfer's Elbow"

The back is not the only area of the body that can be affected by playing golf. "Golfer's Elbow" is one of the most common golf injuries. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Sureons suggests squeezing a tennis ball to strengthen the forearms. Also, wrist and reverse wrist curls can be done to strengthen the wrists.

The golf swing puts an enormous amount of stress on the human body. By following thse golf injury prevention tips, you can protect yourself from debilitating golf-related back and muscle pain. Who knows, they may even help you improve your game!

Ten Spring Cleaning Tips for a Healthier Home

Some of the tasks that you can perform during your annual spring cleaning may actually improve your family's health. The following ten spring cleaning activities will help make you, and your home, healthier and safer:

1. Thoroughly dust your home and clean air conditioning and heating filters, ducts, and vents to decrease your exposure to pollens and other airborne allergens. For more, please read the Indoor Allergens and Allergy Treatment Begins At Home articles.

1. Organize your medicine cabinet, discarding expired medications and old prescription medications no longer in use. You'll reduce your chances of becoming victim of a medication error and gain some storage space.

1. Check the garage and basement for old cans of paint, thinners, oils, solvents, stains, and other forms of "toxic" trash. Call your city or county sanitation department to find the location of the hazardous waste drop-off center, and get rid of anything you're not going to use.

1. Likewise, check under the sink and around the house for old, potentially toxic cleaning products and dispose of these.

1. Have your chimney professionally cleaned - you'll reduce the chances of carbon monoxide exposure from your chimney when it's fire season again.

1. Clean all mold and mildew from bathrooms and other damp areas with non-toxic cleaning products. Mold is a fungus which can trigger allergic reactions in susceptible people. For more, please read the Mold Questions, Answers, and Facts and Mold Patrol For Mold Control articles.

1. Check your rugs to be sure that rugs on bare floors have non-skid mats. Older mats that have become dusty may need to be washed or replaced to provide effective protection from falls. Outfit your bathrooms with non-skid bath mats.

1. Inspect outdoor playground equipment and be sure that it remains sturdy and in good repair. Pay particular attention to guardrails, protruding bolts, and other potential sources of injury.

1. Change the batteries in your smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector. For more, please read the How to Prevent Carbon Minoxide Poisoning article.

1. Collect old batteries throughout the house for disposal in a battery recycling or hazardous waste center.

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One-half of all working Americans admit to having back pain symptoms each year.

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