By Dr. Joe LaCaze
Golfers are a unique breed in the sporting world. Along with swingers of a baseball bat, golfers are the only other athlete that make a violent, rotational swing
while
their feet stay firmly planted on the ground. That creates some special considerations
and a clear understanding of the mechanics of the golf swing leads us to the
proper areas in the body to adjust.When the swing is performed correctly, the major problems arise during deceleration. For a right-handed golfer, the follow through of a golf swing puts major stress on the joints of the right shoulder. The clavicle takes a beating, so it is definitely worthwhile to check the S/C and A/C joints on each visit. Since the right latissimus dorsi is very active in the full rotation of the follow through swing, it will put a good deal of stress on the thoraco-lumbar fascia.
The
lumbar spine is deeply intertwined into the thoraco-lumbar fascia through numerous
muscles. Adjusting the L3 or L4 area usually allows that area to relax enough
to release the tension caused by repeated rotational insult. Because of the
orientation of the facets in the lumbar spine, most of the pure rotation of
the swing is generated and decelerated by the muscles around the mid to low
thoracic region. It is imperative to check this area for subluxation and rotational
fixation. Many chiropractors now think of the thoracic region as being reactive
to the forces transferred from the extremities. In the case of the golf swing,
however, the rotational action is primarily generated from the thoracic region
itself, making it a probable cause of problems in the area. In the deceleration of the swing, the head remains still until the force of the swing brings it up so the golfer is looking toward the target. This action compresses the right side of the neck, and conversely, instantaneously stretches the left. This will cause rotational insult to the cervical spine, and done violently enough, will over stretch the left sternocleidomastoid. The left SCM can then cause stress to the left occiput, causing compression fixation in left lateral flexion.
Another
extremely important area is the left extremity. The left foot takes a pounding
because it remains in the same place, while the entire weight of the body rotates
around it at a tremendous speed. This stresses the left fibula and left knee
joint, which transfer forces to the left hip joint. Oddly enough, the better
the golfer, the more stress they put on their left leg.These are some of the most common problems inherent in golfers, not to mention lower crossed syndrome, upper crossed syndrome and reciprocal limb syndrome. Hopefully, knowing the most likely places to look for mechanical problems in a golfer will lead to the best care possible.
About the author: Dr. Joe LaCaze is a performance enhancement specialist certified through the National Academy of Sports Medicine and teaches spinal biomechanics at Life University.