If you are holding back on your swing for fear of a previous injury returning or perhaps the ache in your back is taking the enjoyment out of the round of golf then you should consider osteopathy.
Our Osteopath at DUBLIN CITY OSTEOPATH, gives tips and advice to Golfers with Back or Neck The following is some useful information on how our clinic is aware of the demands of golf on the body.
As peter mentions “In Recreational Golfers Injuries Usually Occur Because of”
Sporadic play with associated lack of fitness and poor motor control.
Poor swing control due to lack of spinal mis-alignments, stiffness, muscle weakness & poor balance.
Poor fitness leading to body fatigue by the end of a long walk up & down hills etc. over an 18-hole course. This negatively affects fine motor control leading to swing inaccuracies causing impact injuries, overuse injuries, sprains and strains.
Through personally designed treatment plans, our patients at the clinic have enjoyed increase length to their drives and an improved short game. Less or no pain from previous injuries and more energy throughout the 18 holes, and consequently more enjoyment!
Lets see how it works and share some of our insights.
Our Dynamic Approach to Golf Biomechanics through Osteopathy
The Neck (Cervical Spine) This area is one of the most important for your golf game. Good stable mechanics for the golfer’s eye-to-ball connection is fundamental in allowing the whole body swing to work correctly.
The Mid Back (Thoracic Spine) The middle of the back or thoracic spine can make or break the golf swing. A flexible and supple T-spine will allow for smooth swing mechanics, while restrictions( mis-alignments) will inevitably lead to poor performance and/or injury.
The ribs need to be able to expand, contract and rotate. This allows the diaphragm to move freely. Rotation can be restricted if the muscles between the ribs, (the intercostal muscles) are tight. You may have felt pain in your ribs after a day of hitting balls. This could be your intercostal muscles telling you they have worked too hard or are dysfunctioning.
The Low Back (Lumbar Spine) Among professional and amateur golfers, low back pain has been cited as the most common golf-related injury.
It is estimated that 10-33% of all LPGA and PGA touring professionals are playing whilst injured at any given time and that half the group will develop chronic low back conditions. In the modern swing, the golfer finishes in a lordotic ‘reversed C’ position. This reversed ‘C’ leads to hyper-extension of the lower back which adds increased stress on the spinal joints and para-spinal muscles of the lumbar spine. Increased loads on the lumbar spine during the golf swing, together with the large forces generated by these muscles, predispose the golfer to muscular strains, spondylosis (degenerative spine conditions), and associated risk of herniated discs.
Peter will help improve your golf biomechanics and posture thereby directly improving your golfers handicap.
Peter will identify the ‘at risk’ areas of your spine with our spinal muscle scan (semg) link to exercises to improve their game