A Strong Core Can Help You Reduce Golf Injuries and Hit Longer Drives!
Have injuries affected your swing mechanics and limited your ability to play? Are you looking for proven ways to improve your club speed for longer drives? At Agility Physical Therapy, our physical therapists are movement experts specializing in treating golf-related injuries. We will identify the root cause of your pain/injuries and give you the tools to improve your swing mechanics so you can confidently swing your clubs!
The golf swing is a very complex movement that requires the coordination of the whole body. Due to the nature of the one-sided swing, imbalances in muscle development are possible—any alteration in how your body functions will often lead to faulty swing mechanics and/or an injury.
At Agility Physical Therapy, our physical therapists have proven results with golfers of all abilities and types of injuries. We understand how a weakness or restriction in your joint(s) can cause havoc on the body and your ability to swing the club properly.
Fortunately, we also know how to help you restore and improve your strength, resolve joint alignment, prevent future injuries, and enhance overall golf performance. Request an appointment with one of our experts and learn how to strengthen your core properly to prevent injuries while simultaneously improving your club head speed!
How does the core affect golfers?
It seems like there are recommendations for golfers to strengthen their core everywhere we look. There is a growing body of evidence that strengthening the core not only helps reduce your risk of golf-related injuries but also helps improve your ability to generate speed and, therefore, distance when hitting the ball.
Some people still think the core means six-pack abs, but when discussing golfers and the golf swing, the core includes all the abdomen, pelvis, back, and even the diaphragm muscles. Basically, all the muscles that wrap around the circumference of your mid-section are the core muscles.
The golf swing is a complex movement requiring all these muscles, and for that matter, the muscles throughout the entire body, to coordinate effectively. The core muscles, in particular, are necessary to generate large rotational forces and large rotational ranges of motion needed with proper golf swing mechanics.
Some of the most important core muscles are the ones found deep in the body that connect to the spine. These muscles play a role in achieving the spinal range of motion needed for swinging a golf club, and they also play an even more critical role in stabilizing one area to allow a different region to move.
Any weaknesses or muscular imbalances in the core can lead to pain and/or injuries in the lower back, hip, and potentially any other body area used during the swing. The importance of properly working spinal joints in collaboration with the stabilizing ability of the core muscles can not be overstated.
Some research has shown that the golf swing can generate the same force as a football player hitting the tackling dummies. Knowing how to train the core correctly can be the difference between an injury and hitting the longest drive of your life!
Research has shown that performing a core training program leads to significant increases in ball speed, carry yardage, and total yardage. Fortunately, at Agility Physical Therapy, our physical therapists understand the demands of swinging the golf club on the body. We use an evidence-based approach to restore joint motion and teach strengthening exercises to ensure your body is prepared to handle the stress.
The improvements from our golf-specific strength training programs will help you resolve any injury, prevent future injuries, and improve your overall performance hitting the ball!
What to expect at your physical therapy sessions
Most golf-related injuries result from overuse and/or poor swing mechanics and are often due to weaknesses or limitations in core strength and joint mobility restrictions. Our team at Agility Physical Therapy not only understands the biomechanics and forces of the golf swing, but we are experts at identifying the root cause of golf-related injuries to ensure the fastest recovery possible.
We will conduct a comprehensive evaluation that includes a thorough history and whole-body physical assessment. Our physical therapists will identify your joint range of motion and strength to determine how they influence your functional abilities, including swinging the golf club.
We understand the golf swing mechanics, and by assessing how your joints and muscles move in relation to one another, we will be able to identify any underlying limitations affecting your recovery and physical performance.
Most golf injuries are related to overuse syndromes and poor swing mechanics. One of the most important aspects of good swing mechanics is core stability, meaning how our core muscles stabilize the spine so other areas in the body can move. Impairments in the core muscles can lead to loss of proper postures, excessive side bending, and over-rotation of the spine.
In addition, poor trunk control from core weakness may lead to restricted hip mobility and, if practiced repeatedly, may increase the risk of injury. Any limitations in mobility due to spinal joint dysfunction or weaknesses can lead to faulty movement patterns, increasing the risk of overuse injuries.
Our programs will likely consist of targeted mobility work, strength training (specifically the core), and swing training to help the golfer reduce the likelihood of injury. We will also incorporate coordination drills that stimulate the nervous system function to ensure your timing and ability to swing correctly.
Our physical therapists specializing in treating golfers at Agility Physical Therapy will help improve your overall performance so you can hit the ball with greater confidence!
Request an appointment at Agility Physical Therapy today!
At Agility Physical Therapy, our therapists will help you resolve any old or new injury and teach you a golf-specific core strengthening program to prevent future injuries and improve your club head speed for longer drives simultaneously!
Call today to set up an appointment with one of our physical therapists!