Implications in Sports Injuries: Playing Pool May Lead to Chronic Headache Pain, Migraines

Sports injuries are common especially among adults who play sports as a career or occupational choice. For individuals who play pool, there is a unique set of sports related injuries that arise are often not associated with the game of pool. If you play pool and you find that you are experiencing unique health complications, it may be important to consider how the game of pool is adversely affecting your health.

Headaches are one of the most common health complications reported by pool players but, unfortunately, not so commonly associated with the game of pool. While headaches can occur in any sport, both contact and non-contact sports, almost any athlete can develop the health complication and not even realize the association with the game they love and often play for an occupation.

In the game of pool, the neck of often hyper extended while the legs are spread open and there is flexion at the waist. This abnormal stance, when held in position for longer and longer times pans can lead to muscle strain and fatigue. When muscles are strained, pulled or fatigued repetitively, headache pain can set in. If you find, after playing pool repetitively that you develop chronic headache pain, ask your physician about the possible implication of your game of pool.

If your physician confirms your headache pain is associated with the stance you carry when playing pool, there may be options for treatment that will ensure you can continue to play pool. With unique physical therapy your physician may be able to tailor a program that is unique to your physical health. By strengthening and stretching the muscles that are most involved in the game of pool, your headache pain can be managed quite effectively. In addition, your physician may want to prescribe muscle relaxers to be used before your game of pool or after the game of pool to relax the muscles that are potentially implicated in your development of headache pain.