Golf and Chiropractic

Chiropractic Care Enhances Golfers’ Performance

Playing golf is a fantastic way to exercise (especially if you forgo a golf cart) and is a natural stress reliever. However, golf is tough on the spine (Golf and Chiropractic) and can lead to back disorders. Regular chiropractic care has been shown not only to keep the spine aligned but also research indicates it can enhance your golf performance.

75% of PGA players sing the praises of chiropractic care. Professional golfer Tiger Woods has been an advocate of chiropractic care for years, and we all know he has become an incredible athlete.

“Being a chiropractic patient has really helped me tremendously… lifting weights and visiting a chiropractor regularly has made me a better golfer. I’ve been going to a chiropractor for as long as I can remember. For my training, it’s as important as practicing my swing.” Tiger Woods It is obvious to almost any sports enthusiast why the best athletes in the world choose to include chiropractic care as part of their lifestyle or combine it with their sports training. Chiropractic works. But you don’t have to be a professional golfer (Golf and Chiropractic) to benefit from chiropractic care. Chiropractic care helps any athlete restore the function of spinal joints that are restricted and not moving properly. Muscles, joints, and ligaments depend on proper joint movement for optimal performance. Injuries to these tissues can reduce the range of motion, decrease blood supply, and literally “take you out of the game.”

The Goal for Perfect Posture

Proper posture on and off the course is essential for your health and to avoid injuries. If your spine is misaligned, your swing will then be misaligned. Professional and amateur golfers regularly receive chiropractic adjustments to prevent injuries and maintain that perfect golf swing they have worked so hard to achieve. Optimal posture improves your ability to hit the ball more consistently by increasing your range of motion, enhancing your balance, and improving your stability. If you are like 90% of the population who suffer from forward head posture in your daily life and not just on the golf course. With the vast majority of us spending hours hunched over our laptops, our Blackberries, and behind the wheel, the prevalence of this condition has skyrocketed in the last 10 years. Just like a golfer with forward head posture trying to achieve an optimal golf position, he/she may try to pull their shoulders and head back, but it is nearly impossible to straighten them completely. Rounded shoulders and having the head forward shifts the body’s center of gravity. Without this balance and stability, the power of the swing can be highly compromised, as well as the accuracy and speed of the shot.

Herniated Disc

Countless golfers across the country encounter the same ailment that keeps the best players in the world sidelined: a herniated disc. Meanwhile, the pain associated with a herniated disc can be mild and accompanied by numbness and tingling. Numbness and tingling decrease or the abnormal sensations caused by the disruption of sensory nerve function. The feeling of having a “sleeping” foot is well known – and as a chiropractor, I recommend seeking treatment immediately before we compensate for movement patterns, affecting the spinal tissue and leading to serious disc problems, which can result in more pain and an increased recovery time. For golfers, a herniated disc can occur as a result of repetitive chronic stress and acute trauma caused by the repeated swings of a club. When injured, the discs, which are cushions between the bones of the spine, can protrude into the spinal canal and nerve roots, often causing numbness in the arms and legs, stiffness in the neck, or difficulty walking.

Warm Up and Stretch Before “Taking the First Shot”

No matter what type of sport or physical activity you are about to partake in, it is essential to warm up and stretch the muscles of the neck, back, legs, and arms. As a chiropractor certified in sports medicine, I can create a tailored exercise program that can be incorporated into your routine and followed both on and off the golf course. “Few amateur players properly warm up before practicing or playing a round of golf. If you do not stretch before playing golf, you are asking your body to play with an added disadvantage. Muscles that are properly warmed up and stretched before the first shot are elastic and loose, allowing your body to perform at its maximum potential.” (PGA Student Instruction Manual for the Golf Tour Academy)

Ditch the Golf Cart but Watch the Weight of Your Golf Bag

In addition to the golf swing that bends your back time and again, the weight of your golf bag, not to mention a mix of 14 clubs, balls, and a variety of accessories, is enough to cause a serious injury. Invest in a push cart instead of carrying your bag to every hole on the course. Or at least, carry it for a while on each shoulder. As I mentioned earlier, ditch the golf cart. Choose to walk the course so you can increase your endurance and stimulate your immunity: maximize athletic performance and avoid injuries. Golf = Lower Back Injuries Lower back injuries are especially common among golfers. Golf produces lower back pain and aggravates the muscles of the lower back due to poor mechanics and repetitive swinging in golf. “Hip stiffness and back muscles are often the root causes of mechanical failures. Also, older golfers may have back conditions that the swing aggravates: The discs between the vertebrae of the spine allow for less elasticity with age and, therefore, are less able to distribute the pressures that the swing exerts on the back.” (Harvard Health Letter 2000; 25)

In Conclusion

Do not take pain pills for a quick fix for pain relief. This only masks the pain and creates a false sense of relief in your body leading you to think this can allow you to do more and can lead to possible new and more serious injuries. As a chiropractor certified in sports medicine, I am trained to restore the alignment and movement of the spine with chiropractic adjustments. And remember, chiropractic quickly alleviates lower back pain, but the long-term solution has a much more active role from your golf swing.