With Wales hosting the Ryder Cup Golf tournament this year the UK really has turned its attention to the game and its players. It has brought to our attention at Posture Dynamics, just how many of our clients have an interest in and play golf for recreational activity. Having an efficient and effective golf posture and the all important golf swing when you are suffering from stiffness or pain in your lower back, throracic spine or shoulders and neck can pose a real challenge and its not uncommon for Golfers to experience pain on a regular basis through poor technique exacerbated by joint stiffness, tension in the muscles and lack of core stability.
Many who play Golf may or may not be aware that Pilates principles and exercises can bring about a dramatic improvement in not only how you feel in your body whilst playing but on the power and distance of the golf swing itself! Pilates for Golf is an exercise programme that can, if practiced regularly, help golfers hit the ball consistently further and straighter with reduced risk of injury and back pain. Pilates in general is proven to increase core stability, ease range of movement and help prevent back pain. A movement as complex as a golf swing requires focus, strength, flexibility, balance, and power from the ground up.
Recently Osteopath consultant Daren Fletcher and Pilates specialist Emily Doe have worked with clients analyzing their golf swing helping them to achieve a better golf posture and help reduce risk of injury by looking at their biomechanics. Daren explains “I assess a clients range of movement not just in the spine, but also in the hips and shoulders. Assessing how they all interact together for normal day to day activities is important, but then being able to see how they are able to use their posture during the golf swing is even better.” Daren identifies the vulnerable and inefficient areas affecting the clients golf swing and then works with Emily (Pilates and exercise specialist) to help improve the efficiency and performance of the swing. Emily explains “I have a series of exercises specially designed to work on the muscles used whilst playing Golf. We can focus on isolating key physical components that will aid in increasing club head speed to send the ball further down the fairway”.
From the input of Osteopathy and the careful integration of Pilates, Posture Dynamics can devise a range of stretches and exercises to help strengthen the core, reduce stress and strain to vulnerable areas of a golfers swing, and improve flexibility at the same time.
So if you are a keen golfer but feel restricted by an injury or back pain when playing, there could be a proactive way to help yourself, by trying Osteopathy and Pilates for Golf you could well gain that extra advantage on the green.
