Every spring and summer, patients are wondering how they can improve their golf game for the season. One word…Chiropractic. Golfers, by the nature of the game, develop asymmetrical conditions and therefore can benefit from chiropractic care. Such care can specifically help to restore balance and lay the foundation for high-level athletic performance.
Regular chiropractic adjustments can improve your game on many levels. The repetitive nature of the swing makes it critical that the muscles are at ease and the joints of the spine can be moving smoothly. Yes, eliminating low back pain helps the golf game, for sure, but improved bio-mechanical function of the body takes the game to the next level and helps shave strokes off your score.
Professional and amateur golfers turn to chiropractic care as one of the best strategies for maintaining health on and off the course and achieving the best possible performance. Household names including Tiger Woods, David Duval, and Padraig Harrington are just a few of the professional golfers who rely upon chiropractors. Lets find out why.
Stretching vs. Stretching Plus Chiropractic
A scientific study has confirmed what many golfers have already discovered: Chiropractic care can improve your golf swing and, as a result, how far you can hit a golf ball.
The December 2009 issue of the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine included a study that focused on golfers at two different clubs in São Paulo, Brazil. A group of 43 golfers were divided into two random groups: One group received only a stretch program while the second group received the same stretch program in addition to chiropractic care.
All study participants were initially asked to perform three full swing maneuvers, and measurements were made of the average distance they were able to hit the ball for the three swings. Then, depending on which test group they were part of, the golfers went through just the stretching program, or the stretching plus chiropractic.
After participating in just the stretching or chiropractic plus stretching, the participants were asked to repeat the same three swing maneuvers and measurements were taken. This entire process was repeated for a period of four weeks over the course of the study. To maintain consistency, the study noted that the average age, handicap, and initial swing were comparable among all 43 golfers in the study.
The results were clear: After four weeks, there was no improvement among those in the group that only did the stretching program prior to hitting the golf balls. But among those who received four sessions of stretching and chiropractic care, golfers showed a statistically significant improvement in their “full swing performance,” meaning that they hit the ball farther than the stretching-only group.
Are you satisfied with your level of play?
When the spine develops or stores tension from various stressors in life, the tissues around the spine can become more rigid, spastic and less flexible. This will lead to changes in range of motion as well as posture. With altered curves and muscular tension, you have little hope if reaching your golf swing potential. Chiropractic has the ability to help your body move into a state of optimal function and improve your game. When you realign the spine, that rigidity and tension decreases and allows you to perform at your best on a consistent basis.
References:
Chiropractic Spinal Manipulation Improves Golf Swing Performance. Journal of Chiropractic Medicine, Volume 8, Issue 4, December 2009
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