There are many key aspects to concentrate on to ensure you remain injury free as a golfer. The main areas to focus on are your fitness, posture and flexibility.
Both male and female golfers today now tend to be able generate much more powerful swings compared to earlier years of the sport where it was considered more as a ‘leisure’. Professional golfers such as Phil Mickelson, Tiger woods and Lorena Ochoa have demonstrated a higher athleticism with the sport that was not seen in earlier generations due to a more intense and focused training regime.
Many amateur, weekend golfers spend thousands of dollars on new equipment in an attempt to improve their game. What they don’t realise however is that the human body is the most important piece of equipment for a golfer.
The Australian Physiotherapy Association suggests that awareness of correct posture and importance of flexibility and fitness are just as important aspects of improving your game.
Some interesting facts:
- The number of golf courses worldwide is rapidly increasing. In fact according to Golf Digest the countries with the highest number of golf courses per capita in 2005 were (Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Canada, Scotland, England and Sweden.
- With important aspects such as body mechanics, strength, cardiovascular fitness, muscle imbalance and posture it is highly recommended that golfers utilise a physiotherapist to conduct an assessment of their physical abilities and create a personalised training program for them.
Due to modern golfers increasing the physical stress on their bodies due to more intense training, just like many other sports there has been an increase in injuries. At Perth Chiropractic we believe flexibility, endurance and strength are just as important as hitting a mile long drive or an exceptional short game.
It is now more common than not, that amateur golfers are seeking assistance and training from physiotherapists to improve their game.
However as some types of training will work for some but not others, it is important that you have a program individually customised to your body’s requirements. The wrong program can in fact hinder instead of helping athletes.
What may seem too many as an easy feat to master the golf swing is the most complex and difficult motion in any sport. Requiring flexibility in some joints, stability in others the coordination and strength of a golf swing is not just important for a great game. It is also important to prevent injuries. An improved golf swing will result in greater distance, more accurate ball strike and less strain on joints and muscles.
At Perth Chiropractic we understand that not many people are aware that every time a golfer swings they are placing strain on their spine to a degree of 7-8 times their body weight. Observing individuals in a wide range of sports our physiotherapists notice a large number of golfers complaining about spine related injuries including pain in their shoulders, upper and lower back and neck.
Exercises focusing on the entire core of the body are important for golfers to prevent injuries. It is easy to strain muscles and even damage discs with the amount of force place of the body. At Perth Chiropractic we recommended that golfers regularly undertake exercises such as pilates as a tool to prevent injury and also improve their game.
Golfers young and old, amateur or professional should make a habit of:
- Before teeing off or practising, spend at least 20 minutes warming up and stretching all the key muscles focusing mostly on the back. Don’t leave it too late for when you are already on the course.
- Walking the course whenever possible will also warm muscles and condition them to become accustom to the terrain of the course. A loss of coordination in the body movement can be a result of fatigue and also result in deprived performance.
For all golf and other sporting health issues, call Perth Chiropractor today on 08 9421 1733 so we can help lead you to a healthier life!
