Others think its that frustrating game that involves smacking a little white ball through paddocks, trees, sands traps all in the hope of getting it into a tiny hole hundreds of meters away….. 18 times!!! But speak to any golfing enthusiasts and they will tell you that NOTHING will keep them away from their favourite course… even pain! It is also a sport that I rarely discourage people from participating in, as the health benefits are fantastic. Long walks helping cardiovascular fitness, enjoying the fresh air and getting the whole body moving – especially with our increasingly sedentary lifestyle, are all positives provided by a round of golf.
But there are some draw backs.
- Lower back Pain aggravated by hills, the repetitive nature of the golf swing and bending down to pick up balls and place tee’s.
- Shoulder pain caused by poor swing mechanics and having to drag a golf cart around. Knee pain caused by repetitive twisting action of the swing.
- General body fatigue from walking an average of 5km leading to joint stiffness and muscular immobility.
Ever wondered why your last few holes are rarely your best? Or why the younger more flexible players seems to hit the ball further with less effort and greater control? It’s generally not because they are stronger, but more often its because they are more flexible, with the ability to generate more torque and speed through the club. Stiffness of your lower back and and shoulders will effect your ability to make good contact with the ball, and create havoc with your timing. As your game progresses the body becomes tired and fatigue sets in, this will further sabotage your swing, resulting in poor quality shots. So how can Osteopathy help your golf game? Lets break the areas down we focus on:
- Neck – Cervical Spine: One of the most important aspect of your golf game. Being able to hold your head stable, ensuring good eye to ball connection and allowing the body to swing through to occur unhindered.
- Mid Back – Thoracic Spine: A flexible Thoracic spine allows for a smooth swing, while tightness will invariably lead to poor performance and possibly injury to the shoulder.
- Low Back – Lumbar Spine The very nature of a good swing, results in hyper extension in the lower back placing increased stress on muscle and joints. We work with you to ensure your low back can tolerate this stress.
- Shoulder: Ensuring correct mechanics and full range of motion, ensure extra stress and strain is not placed on shoulder structures which could lead to impingement or irritation of tendons and muscles.
- Hip Knee and Ankle: Addressing your lower limb mechanics ensuring your hip, knee and ankle are all moving coherently to allow the transfer of weight for each and every shot, as well as the strength and endurance to walk 18 holes.
Osteopathy works in harmony with the biomechanics of the body and your unique golf swing to produce the effective, quality controlled and consistent strokes, from the first to the eighteenth hole, Our therapists will always liase directly with your golf professional in order to work together to ensure you are playing at your optimal level, Book in today to see how our Osteopath can help improve your game!
