June 2016

Let’s Talk About Your Golf Swing!  

It's finally golf season and we know many golfers are happily walking or carting the greens. Often times we see golfers coming into clinic due to back, neck, shoulder, elbow pain and/or injury. Golf is actually a full body strength sport. To hit the golf ball with such precision and generate distance we are required to recruit a lot of strength with a great deal of mobility.

In fact, focus should first be to address mobility, than address strength. Think of a baby: it first has to learn to turn, reach, extend and roll before they can start crawling. This is important because for many golfers your mobility is hindering your swing. When you hit that ball your full body is required to rotate with follow through – this means from your toes all the way up to your shoulder and neck.  If you have any restrictions in these areas, your swing is suffering and you’re a few swings away from injury. We all know that in our society (where we sit most of the time) we have restrictions in the hips and thoracic spine, but today I want to draw attention to your pelvis. 

Most people have very limited range of motion in their pelvis. And most people are stuck in anterior pelvic tilt, which is largely due to sitting. Take a look at the image below and try to mimic the three pelvis positions. Now try to preform a swing with your pelvis in all three positions.  Can you feel a difference? You probably noticed that your swing felt best when you were in neutral. This is because when your pubis in neutral it enables movement  The pelvis is basically the bridge from your lower body to your upper body. Therefore when your pubis is mobile and able to stay in neutral the whole flow of your swing will be smooth and powerful and likely injury free. 

If you'd like more information contact us and we'll happily help!  In the mean time try laying on your back, placing your hands at your hips and play with posterior and anterior tilts to develop greater mobility. Happy golfing!  

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