Chiropractic and Golf
Most people know that golf is an extremely challenging sport. Each round requires talent from both physical and mental standpoints in order to be successful. To many people, golf seems like a pretty casual, easy-going sport. Many people don’t realize the physical demands the sport place on a competitive golfer’s body. What people also don’t really see is the “behind the scenes” of how amateur and professional golfers take care of their bodies; from their training regimens, to self-care strategies, so that they can continue to play at those levels.
If you watch any major golf event on TV, you’ll notice that other than watching them play the actual game, you get a few extra “clips” here and there of these players between shots. You’ll see some of these players talking with their caddies about the strategies of their upcoming shot, or you may notice them stretching, or you may even see them getting an occasional adjustment. Players such as Tiger Woods, Jordan Spieth, and Rory McIlroy all utilize chiropractic before, during, and after their rounds to take care of their bodies. Even Zach Johnson’s dad is a chiropractor! Not only do they utilize chiropractic to increase their performance, but they also use it to prevent injury. We would like to share some insight on how chiropractic can help with golfers.
The Adjustment
There was a study completed in Sao Paulo, Brazil that aimed to measure the effectiveness of a golfer’s performance with spinal manipulation. They divided the golfers into two groups; one group did their basic stretching and warm-up regimen, while the other group also received chiropractic adjustments on top of their usual warm-up routine. Both groups were of similar age groups and skill levels. In measuring the average distance of their drives, they found that spinal manipulation therapy combined with stretching may be associated with improvement of a golf player’s full swing performance when compared to muscle stretching alone1.
Why does the adjustment help? Between each of the vertebrae in your spine, you have small joints that allow the spine to move in various planes of motion. One of these motions-rotation, is extremely relevant in a golfer’s swing. We find this motion to be a common area of restriction in not only golfers, but in the general population as well. There are many variables that can cause this lack of movement, such as overuse, arthritis, sedentary lifestyle, etc. Whatever the cause may be, if your spine is lacking rotation, this will greatly decrease the full potential of your golf swing. Not only can it cause a reduction in your overall power and distance, but it can also change your swing and affect your overall trajectory. Chiropractors are trained to assess for these discrepancies in motion and can improve them with adjustments.
Muscle Work
If you really think about it, the entire action of your body to produce a golf swing is an amazing thing. Your brain analyzes feedback of the surrounding environment to make a judgement about where to aim the ball, and then sends a message to virtually hundreds of muscles to perform the action of hitting the ball. There is no questioning the importance of the muscles in producing an effective golf shot. While there may be hundreds of muscles involved during the swing, here is a list of the most important ones.
Gluteus Maximus- yes, your “butt”. This is perhaps the most important and active muscle. It provides a foundation of support during the golf swing. It also allows you to externally rotate your thighs during the swing.
Pectoralis Major- allows for shoulder flexion and arm extension during the upward/downward swing.
Latissimus Dorsi- allows the arm to adduct during the downward phase of the swing.
Forearm Muscles- such as the flexor digitorum muscles allow you to maintain adequate grip on the club, which is important because adequate club control during the swing correlates with swing accuracy.
Core muscles- such as external obliques, multifidi and rotatores muscles, to name a few. These muscles are important in rotation, which is the driving force behind your golf swing.
Weakness or under-activation in any of these major muscle groups will directly affect your swing. Also, it is important to note that tightness, or overactivated muscles will also affect your golf swing. Yes, we all know that weak muscles affect performance. But what less people realize is that tight muscles can also do the same. This is often the case in more avid golfers, who are consistently swinging the clubs on a daily basis.
Our office uses several techniques to address these problems within the muscles. In the population of golfers, we manually assess for weakness/tightness within these major muscle groups and apply manual stretching when it is indicated. We also scan the muscles for myofascial issues, such as trigger points, and combat them with a variety of soft tissue techniques. Our techniques are designed to reduce inflammation, alleviate pain, and restore function so that the muscles can perform at their maximal potential.
As mentioned before, the utilization of chiropractic care for golfers is not only significant in improving performance, but also in the prevention of injuries. The average golf swing puts about eight times the body weight on a golfer’s low back, which is about three times more than running. Repetitive compression and torsion can cause wear and tear to the spine, particularly in the discs and vertebrae. As with all physical sports, there are potential consequences to your body. Regular chiropractic care can be beneficial in this regard, as it can help mitigate the aches and pains commonly experienced with play. This will allow you to not only play the sport you love to your full potential, but also allow you to do so for a long time.
If you have any questions about how chiropractic care can help improve your golf game and prevent injury, feel free to contact our office. We would love to help out in anyway possible!
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2786229/