PGA golfers Tiger Woods and Padraig Harrington have used chiropractic services for years in order to improve and maintain their golfing performance. Their successes suggest a benefit of chiropractic care, but it’s hard to know if it’s because of the care or because they are world-class athletes. Can chiropractic care help the average golfer improve their performance as well?
The very nature of the game of golf suggests chiropractic care would be a good match for players. Golfing can involve considerable strain on the spine. Golfers need to move from a standing position quickly to club head speeds, requiring good posture, balance, and the ability to rotate the spine properly. Poor posture can create exaggerated or flattened spinal curves that can seriously affect swing performance.
Matter of fact, Tom Ward, PGA Golf Instructor, says, “Over 50% of all golfers will experience some sort of pain due to poor posture and the problems that arise from loss of proper curves in the spine.”
By working with your spinal range of motion, chiropractic care can help correct golf injuries, maintain performance, and improve the posture needed to perform a good golf swing. When the chiropractor aligns all the vertebrae through an exact and precise chiropractic adjustment, the spine can and will move better.
With that said, an individualized treatment plan that includes chiropractic adjustments, specific rehabilitation exercises and muscle techniques can make a significant difference in your overall performance and enjoyment of the sport.
Recent research confirms that chiropractic care can indeed lead to improved golf performance. A recent study published in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine demonstrated that the combination of chiropractic care and stretching are associated with greater improvements in golfers swing when compared to stretching alone. [2]
Two groups of golfers participated in the study. One group received a program of stretching only, and the second received both stretching and spinal adjustments. The stretching program was the same for both groups, and both groups had similar average ages, handicaps, and initial swings. All 43 participants initially performed three full swing maneuvers, and the average distances were recorded. Over a 4-week period, all participants hit 3 balls before and after treatment.
After 4 weeks, the stretching only group showed no improvement in swing performance. However the stretching and adjustment group did improve their swing performance and there was greater driving distance right after treatment each week.
So it appears that yes, chiropractic care can help not only top golfers such as Woods and Harrington, but it can help you improve your golf game too.
If you’re ready to get started, simply pick up the phone and give us a call. We’re here to serve you!
References:
[1] Tom Ward, PGA Instructor. http://www.golflink.com/golf-tips/tips/ward032.aspx
[2] Journal of Chiropractic Medicine (2009) 8, 165-170.