The Swing: Faulty Swing Mechanics

Golf is a sport which places significant stress on the participant. The flexed posture and rotational nature of the golf swing places the athlete at risk for injury in the low back, shoulders, elbow and wrist.

The golf swing is a series of complex motions that places a tremendous amount of torque on the body. This is necessary to generate club head speed in excess of 100 mph. The entire golf swing from takeaway to finish takes between 1 - 1.3 seconds. The full swing takes the body through full rotation to the right then back through full rotation to the left with the extensibility of the body's soft tissue controlling the motion. Any restriction in soft tissue tension or loss of mobility alters the motion.

According to the American Journal of Sports Medicine, the most common area of injury is the low back, followed by the shoulder and elbow. Greater than 80% of these injuries are repetitive motion type injuries with less than 20% caused by a single trauma.

Proper swing mechanics, good flexibility, lack of joint stiffness, good balance as well as cardiovascular and strength training along with a proper warm-up, greatly improve the golfer's efficiency and diminish the likelihood of injury.

A good teaching pro is the most logical starting point for any golfer desiring to work on, and achieve optimal swing mechanics. Everything involved in the swing from grip, position at address, takeaway, backswing to the top, downswing to impact and finish can be addressed. This is also an excellent resource to spot areas of restriction in the golfer's ability to move through the full swing.

In our golf enhancement program, I, as a physical therapist, like to assess restrictions in joints and soft tissue as well as look for any areas of weakness or problems with balance prior to working with a golfer. I can then use manual physical therapy techniques, including joint mobilization and soft tissue mobilization, to restore mobility in the restricted areas. These are not restrictions that can be restored by stretching, but require specific techniques to restore joint arthrokinematics and soft tissue mobility. Proper stretching techniques are also used to address flexibility and the golfer's ability to move. Addressing areas of weakness in the trunk, shoulders, forearms, hips and overall core strength are essential in developing a strength program for the golfer.

Balance and cardiovascular training must also be incorporated into any golf enhancement program.

Functional training is the key to improving performance. Golf is a dynamic postural event where good postural alignment or spine angle is essential throughout the swing. One must have the necessary flexibility and stability at the hip as well as control of knee flexion and ankle stability.

The strength of the golf swing is generated by trunk muscular control to maintain the spine angle through the swing, along with the postural and rotational muscles of the shoulders, hips, trunk as well as lower extremity strength. This is coupled with the ability to transfer weight from front to back.

The next component is coordination; the ability to maintain balance over the center of gravity while coordinating the movement of the arms, hands, trunk and hip in a high-speed rotational movement.

The final component is a proper warm-up. This needs to include a short period of aerobic activity to increase the body's core temperature. This is then followed by a stretching program that targets the shoulders, forearms, chest, low back, hips, thigh and calf. After stretching, the golfer needs to perform an active program incorporating rotation of the trunk, swinging of a club or weighted club, progressing to more aggressive golf movements and hitting balls. A proper warm-up will not only reduce injury but will help improve efficiency.

Rick Susick, MS, PT, MS, ATC, Director of Physical Therapy. Petaluma Valley Physical Therapy Center, Petaluma, CA www.PetalumaValleyPT.com