Best Stretch for Golfers
Video by Dr. Erik Waldeland
I know we are all itching to get back out on the course after the long winter here in Minnesota, but I want to make sure we do it safely, especially for those that haven’t swung a club for 6 months. For my golfers that I see in the clinic looking to improve their swing, mobility is king. Golf is such a great game because it is one of the few that you can play for a lifetime (you don’t see many 70-year-olds out on the football field or basketball court), but there are thousands of people that age out on the golf course. One of the major things that hinders someone’s ability to continue to play golf is their lack of mobility which leads to pain and stiffness if not properly maintained. Even the professionals who play in the Tours work on their mobility every day, which allows them to hit the ball 350 yards off the tee.
Attached is a research article that highlights the direct correlation between lack of mobility in the mid and low back, and the prevalence of mid and low back pain. When the mid back cannot go through a full range of motion during the golf swing, the low back and lower body have to compensate and overwork, which will lead to increased tension in the muscles and may develop into more consistent low back pain down the road.
Mixing in the movement I have in the video above will help maintain that proper motion of the thoracic spine and may also add a few yards to your tee shot, no matter what age you are. A majority of the power that we create during the swing comes from that ability to rotate and create torque during both the backswing and the follow through. This stretch, in combination with chiropractic care, will help restore proper motion of the joints and help prevent injuries throughout our short golf season.
Reference
Cole, Michael H., and Paul N. Grimshaw. “The Biomechanics of the Modern Golf Swing: Implications for Lower Back Injuries.” Sports Medicine, vol. 46, no. 3, 2015, pp. 339–351., https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-015-0429-1.
Our Message
When you are looking for a Chiropractor near you that you can trust, choose one who will not only get rid of your back pain, neck pain, or headaches but who will also guide you to living a healthier lifestyle to keep you out of pain. Our Chiropractors located in St. Louis Park, near the corner of MN-100 S & Lake Rd./Westside Dr., will teach you what the research says about how and why we should eat a better diet, move more and have more positive thoughts. By improving these areas of our lives we can become healthier, stay out of pain and reduce risk of diabetes and other diseases!