Golf season is in full swing, are you ready in Marietta GA with Chiropractic

Injuries that happen while golfing

Golf season is in full swing. Many of you have already played your first rounds and are gearing up for a great season. In the excitement are the thoughts and hopes of lowering your score, achieving the hole in one and reducing your handicap. No one ever thinks of injury as they are making the big plans in their head.

However, golf injuries in Marietta GA are far too common and can make or break your score. While back pain is the most common pain felt by golfers, players can be afflicted with pain in any part of the body. If you feel pain, you can bet your score will reflect it.

Golf injuries occur just as commonly as they do during participation in any other athletic-orientated activities. Research indicates that golf injuries relate to functions
of age, skill level, and frequency of play.

More than 80% of golf-related injuries are from overuse, which occurs when cumulative or repetitive (think of swinging a club forcefully hundreds of times a week) stress is placed on soft tissue. Golfers who practice and play for extensive amounts of time may predispose themselves to musculoskeletal injury and impairment.

Injuries in golf typically center on the low-back, wrist, elbow, and shoulder.Professional golfers most commonly injure the low-back, followed by the wrist and shoulder. In contrast, amateur golfers most commonly injure the elbow, followed by the low-back and shoulder. Research indicates the majority of these injuries are chronic in nature; however, the golf swing can create enough force to cause more acute injuries.

The Importance of A Good Golf Swing in Marietta GA

The golf swing can be broken down into several phases, all of which are equally important and have unique biomechanical requirements. A dysfunction in any component of the swing can result in much more than errant shot: an improper swing can cause significant bodily injury.

Attempting a golf swing with shortened (or tight) muscles , weakened muscles or imbalanced posture (or kinematics) will most certainly lead to some form of problem sooner or later.

Well, what can you do about it? The answer should be obvious, improve your flexibility , strength and balance/ posture.

Proper flexibility will allow the golfer to demonstrate proper ranges of motion for the golf swing . This flexibility can be developed through a comprehensive flexibility training program(ie stretches for the low back , hips, shoulders and even wrists. (lets face it , if you cant bend over and touch your toes , what makes you think you should be trying to tee off a golf ball?

Adequate Strength and power for a proper golf swing is achieved through very specific exercises to address weakness in the aforementioned regions. There are very specific muscles used in golf and these muscles need to be strengthened in order to meet the demands of swinging a club at a high velocity and with keen precision. The stronger these muscles are the further you will be able to drive the ball. The stronger these muscles are, the more precise you are going to be with your shot. The stronger these muscles are, the more likely you are to avoid injury as well.

The ability to create optimal balance is essential to a successful golf swing. Balance in this respect is the ability of your body to maintain the proper alignment, center of gravity, and coordinate the body during specific movements. A golfer who lacks balance will often struggle due to the inability of the body to maintain its center of gravity and base of support during the execution of the golf swing. Remember the golf swing is a highly dynamic event with the club-head oftentimes traveling 100 miles/hr or greater. This balance can be achieved through very specific, but not time-consuming, training programs.

If you are an avid golfer who wants to either improve his game or lessen his/her chance of injury while playing, start thinking about flexibility, strength, and balance.

Dr. Ray Gaskey is a certified Golf Fitness Specialist with the National Association of Sports Medicine (NASM). If you need assistance with any golf-related injury or would like some information on how to improve any aspect of your flexibility, strength or balance, please feel free to contact him at Bradford Family Chiropractic at (770) 552-7979. Bradford Family Chiropractic in Marietta, GA.