Golf is a beautiful sport. It has both mental and physical components which invigorate those that play it. You don’t play it because of the consistently easy aspect of it but rather because it is continuously challenging. You make a 30 foot putt on the previous hole and then shank one into the sand trap or even lose your ball to the woods on the next. Golf keeps you on your toes.
Because of this, some may blame the sport for their physical aches and pains. But reality is that golf is a low-impact sport and thus is likely not the contributing factor to one’s discomfort. Let’s dive into this thought a bit more.
The Spine and Golf Mechanics
What motion do you think of when you look at a golfer? That’s right, rotation. Rotation mainly occurs in the spine at the mid back or thoracic spine level. However, the body can be thought of as one long chain, with each segment working as an individual link. If one link is thrown off, the whole chain is affected. The same concept applies when thinking about how your hips or shoulders affect your back.
What does it all mean?
What does how the spine moves have to do with whether or not golf is safe for your low back? Well, the reality is that the sport of golf in itself is likely very safe for your back. Unless your doctor has given you specific instructions to avoid rotational activities such as after a surgery or with certain conditions, there is very minor risk involved in playing golf. In truth, issues such as low back pain only come into play when the body is out of sorts. What do I mean by this?
Tightness is Whack
The hips are an integral part of the golf swing. Chubbs from Happy Gilmore was spot on in the importance of hip mobility (“It’s all in the hips.”). Without the hips moving correctly, the whole kinetic chain is affected. What does that mean? Well, “down the chain” (i.e. knees and ankles), as well as the lower back and “up the chain” – including the shoulders – would all be out of sync. In order for someone to have a safe or injury-free time playing golf, everything must be working together properly. Balance is key. Speaking of balance, how does this affect the golfer?
Balancing Act: The Golf Edition
A person’s ability to maintain their balance is not just important to prevent an injury from a fall but also during recreational activities such as golf. The ability of the body to sense where it is in space as well as bodily movement is known as proprioception. When the ability to sense joint position or movement is not working properly, the body is susceptible to injury both from poor mechanics as well as falls. What else contributes to an increased risk of injury? Weakness.
The Power of the Core
The mid section of the body, commonly referred to as the trunk or torso, is made up of strong muscles known as your “core musculature.” These muscles are important for stabilizing the spine. When a person has weakness in this part of the body, they are more likely to injure themselves due to inability to maintain the proper posture during movements.
The Terrible Trifecta
What does all of this mean to you and to your golf game? The trifecta of tightness in certain muscle groups, poor proprioception and balance along with weakness can lead you down a cart path that you don’t want to be on. So, what’s the Hole in One Solution?
Moving in the Right Direction
Let us at iMove PT help you get back to what you love. At our company, we put the PT back into putting (try saying that 5x fast.) How do we plan to do that? Our Physical Therapists are trained in Manual Physical Therapy (see our July blog post for more details) which can help a patient overcome pain as well as mobility deficits. Additionally, our team is committed to providing you with stretches and other at home exercises to maintain the mobility gains made during sessions. We are also able to help with any balance or strength issues which may be affecting your game.
Just how do we do this? Well, iMove PT can perform the Golf Fitness Assessment in one of two ways…in the safety, privacy, and convenience of your own home or by utilizing telehealth. If you choose the telehealth option, iMove PT will use modern HIPAA secure technology to perform the evaluation. After completing The TPI (Titleist Performance Institute) screen, along with a thorough physical therapy evaluation, we will prescribe a golf specific rehabilitation plan. For optimal results, the TPI screen is repeated and the golf exercise fitness program is advanced every 4-6 weeks.
Caution: Fairways Ahead
Unlike other companies, at iMove PT we don’t just value the numbers that make up a person’s chart. We value the person as a whole, with emphasis on the things each individual person wants to get out of their Physical Therapy sessions. From cooking and cleaning to golf and gardening, we understand that your life is made up of many activities – and we want to help you be able to do them all! We understand that life is busy so instead of making your drive all over to find good care, we come to you! Whether that is in your home or at the driving range.
Improving Your Game
Now don’t hear me wrong. Injury recovery and/or prevention isn’t the only thing we do here at iMove PT. Physical Therapists are considered in the healthcare industry as movement specialists. So, why not trust us to help work the kinks out of your swing? Our treatments are not only designed to help with specific impairments such as weakness, imbalance or tightness. We also are trained to look at the effectiveness of your mechanics, with the ability to break down a swing for both injury prevention and performance.
If you are a golfer who feels that injuries are impacting your game, then you should contact iMove PT’s Founder, Physical Therapist Dr. Michael Gorman. Dr. Gorman is TPI Level 1 Certified. What is TPI? TPI stands for Titleist Performance Institute. For medical professionals, golf coaches, and other health professionals who are committed to keeping golfers healthy and on the course, the TPI Certification is the Gold Standard.
TPI has created a 16 step assessment of the golfer’s musculoskeletal system. This very thorough examination gives the TPI Certified professional all the information needed to create a plan to allow you to get you fully back to the game you love!
Tee Time: iMove PT o’clock
So, if you are interested in getting back to the greens, improving your game or even trying it out for the first time, let us at iMove PT help you meet your golf goals. If you are interested in experiencing the benefits of Manual Physical Therapy, you can set up an appointment with any of our Physical Therapists. Please call (636) 893-8312 today so you can start hitting off those tee boxes with confidence!