By Dr. Scott Gray – Back In Motion Sport & Spine Physical Therapy
Has your favorite pastime become more like an unpleasant task due to your pain and stiffness, or reduced mobility? Many golfers try to suffer through the game, agitated and sore, while their friend is out driving the ball 225 yards!
Don’t let your pain slow you down or hold you back. While it might sound counterintuitive, increasing mobility, stretching, and exercise are vital to getting you back to playing golf and enjoying your active lifestyle.
The majority of dysfunction during the golf swing occurs from three key areas: the foot and ankle, the hips, and the thoracic spine. The majority of motion should occur from these three areas and set the stage for the body to function optimally. When one of these three things are not working, a shared dysfunction occurs in an array of places either adjacent to the area or permeating from it. MANY individuals encounter these dysfunctions, especially those that lead active lifestyles.
Another example of limited hip mobility causing dysfunction is back pain. If the hips do not rotate with agility, the lower back will overcompensate and cause stiffness and pulling on the spine and surrounding soft tissue. This will cause pain and injuries over time.
Unable to enjoy their active lifestyle, many individuals try to mask their symptoms with ibuprofen, painkillers or topical creams, but there are three distinct solutions to getting you back on your feet, swinging the club as you did once before, and hopefully, better than your friend sooner than later.
You can Improve your golf swing and alleviate your symptoms and pain with the right training.
3 Steps to Fixing Your Golf Swing and Alleviating Your Pain
#1 Increase the Mobility of Your Hips
Your hips need adequate rotation and movement, and when tight, they can limit the turning of the golf swing. Static stretches are not always best. The hips are central to the entire bodies mobility, so stretching and increasing mobility with movement is essential.
#2 Improve Your Posture
If we’re rounded over, the spine and upper back can’t rotate adequately, which causes reduced rotation and more torque and strain on the shoulder and back. Being conscious throughout the day about proper alignment and improving your posture will keep you aligned and improve your golf swing. Good posture also helps to alleviate stiffness and pain, too.
#3 Consider Strength Training
Strength training increases your ability to drive the ball further and farther and will help keep your muscles strong. When muscles are active, less injury occurs, and the body is able to maintain even more mobility and range-of-motion.
With the proper evaluation, clinical training methods, and at home exercises and stretching, you will increase mobility, strength and power. Most patients that go through the program end up swinging the club better than they previously could, and it’s without grimacing through the pain.
If you’re serious about increasing your mobility and improving your golf game, working on the three parts mentioned above is the first step. If you do take the time to make these corrections, you may improve your golf swing and get out of pain. If you still can’t swing the club as efficiently as you’d like, you can join us for our FREE Golf Workshop on Wednesday, July 24th.
Dr. Scott Gray, owner and founder of Back In Motion Physical Sport & Spine Therapy, is a world-renowned sport physical therapist specializing in conservative and non-invasive treatment of athletic, sport, and spine injuries. Always on the cutting-edge, Dr. Gray provides personalized and revolutionary methods that help patients regain function by decreasing pain and improving strength and self-reliance.
The Gray Method™
Dr. Gray invented a revolutionary rehabilitative approach to treating musculoskeletal injuries that no other physical therapists, chiropractors, or physicians offer, which is called the “Gray Method™.” He has seen remarkable results with the Gray Method™, as it is a revolutionary approach to rehabilitation, unlike any other. This unique treatment accurately diagnoses the condition and fixes the root cause—not just the symptoms. The Gray Method™ helps patients move more freely, with better range-of-motion, and alleviates pain and stiffness all within a quick time frame.
Dr. Gray explained, “We help active people quickly recover from their injuries and avoid unnecessary surgeries and addictive medications.”
Dr. Gray is the lead physical therapist for NBC Sport’s Mountain Dew Tour, an International Speaker & Presenter, Amazon Best Selling Author (Fix Your Own Back and Get Back Into the Game); and the most forward-thinking PT offering his services on a national and local level with genuine dedication to improving patient’s health and performance.
Call 239-223-0484 to reserve your spot for the FREE seminar or sign up at www.ultimategolfswingseminar.com
Back in Motion Sport & Spine Physical Therapy
9724 Commerce Center Ct. | Fort Myers, FL 33908 | Phone: 239-223-0484 | www.ultimategolfswingseminar.com