Physical Therapy for Golf Players
Golf Physical Therapy- Take a Swing at PT for Golfers
Physical Therapy for Golfers
If you are a regular golfer, you probably love tee times with friends, refreshments at the clubhouse afterwards, traveling to visit different courses and the challenge of improving at a technical sport. While golf may not be as fast-paced as a sport like football, it requires just as much practice, precision and technique to be a great player. Plus, if you have the means to do so and a driving range or golf course nearby, there is a fairly low barrier to entry. Will you be great when you first start, no way, but can you have fun with friends and learn to be a better player over time? Absolutely!
For those who golf regularly or would like to get into the sport, they will notice that despite its relaxing pace, golf swings place quite a demand on the body and pain or injury can leave you spending the day in the cart rather than swinging for a hole-in-one. If this sounds like you, there is more you can do than just wait for things to improve. Physical therapists work with golfers who are recovering from golf-related injuries, experiencing bothersome discomfort when they golf or have an unrelated injury or condition that is interfering with their game. If you would like to learn more about this topic keep reading to learn how golf physical therapy can help you get back onto the green.
WHAT’S IN A GOLF SWING?
Anyone who has tried to swing a golf club for the first time, or let’s face it, the first fifty times, has probably felt how challenging this motion can be. Maybe you realized your back doesn’t like to rotate that well, you have trouble shifting your weight onto one leg or your shoulders can’t seem to lift high enough. Perhaps you realized how much trouble you are having balancing as the club arcs through the air or how hard it is to reach down and place or pick up the ball. Any one of these problems can interfere with your enjoyment and success in golf and they are all situations that could benefit from physical therapy.
TAKING A SWING AT PHYSICAL THERAPY
Physical therapists work with golfers in several capacities. There is no one-size-fits all approach to golf rehab because every individual has a unique impairment they want to address. This is why a physical therapist will always spend time getting to know your goals, what brings you into physical therapy and much more in order to individualize a treatment plan. Let’s look at a few scenarios in which a PT can help improve a golfer’s game and hopefully, how much they enjoy themselves while playing:
Addressing injuries: If you think about how many strokes an average player takes per hole on an 18 hole golf course, you get a sense of how repetitive the motions of golf can be. Add to that time spent practicing at the driving range and any errors in your swing technique, irritated tissues or previous injuries and you can see how a golfer may begin to experience discomfort or injury. When this happens, it is smart to take a pause and seek out a professional like a physical therapist. Addressing pain and discomfort early on may allow you to continue playing, albeit possibly with some modifications, while you work with your therapist to address the underlying causes. If you ignore your symptoms and play through them you could put yourself at risk of developing an injury that will leave you watching from the cart for a while.
Injury prevention and form optimization: A golfer without any injury may still benefit from working with a physical therapist. As we discussed above, golf requires a great deal of range of motion, strength, power and control at the lower legs, hips, spine, shoulders and arms. Whenever there is a limitation in these areas, it will change or hamper how you play golf. Your physical therapist can assess your range of motion and strength, look at your joint mobility and spinal and motor control and create a plan to address any limitations in these areas. Additionally, during situations where impairments can not be changed, your therapist can help you compensate for and work around these impairments. Addressing these impairments early can improve your game and prevent the likelihood of injury in the future.
Improve balance and mobility: In addition to the mechanics of swinging a golf club, playing golf requires balance while you swing the club, balance while you reach down to the ground for the ball and balance while you walk across uneven grass. It also requires a certain amount of standing tolerance and stamina for walking. If you are pain free but find negotiating a golf course or holding your balance is what keeps you from playing the game or enjoying the game you are in luck. Physical therapy can also help you improve in these areas.
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
If you have made it this far there is a good chance you read something in this article that resonated with you. If that is the case, what are you waiting for? Physical therapy is a great option to address injury, improve performance and mobility on the golf course and our team of therapists would love to be the ones to help you do that. If you are ready, call the team at Evolve Physical Therapy today and schedule an evaluation.
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About EvolveNY-
Brooklyn's Premier Holistic Physical Therapy Clinics- There’s physical therapy, there’s training, and then there’s EVOLVE. We use the science of biomechanics merged with fitness to help our patients get better and stay better!
First we evaluate, then we heal, then we strengthen our clients so they can reach their goals, feel better, and live happier lives. We do so by utilizing a range of core techniques and specialized treatments to reduce pain, improve mobility, enhance physical strength and deal with the underlying issues, not just the pain itself.
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