Stretch Therapy for Golfers

Stretching holds an important place in the golfer’s arsenal in protecting their bodies and improving their game.

 Muscles Used in Golf

As laid out by the website StretchCoach, the golf swing consists of 4 parts: the back swing, down swing, ball strike and follow through. These movements take place through a coordinated effort in the body of different muscles. During the back swing, the upper back muscles help with  the rotation, and help players maintain an upright spine through the rest of the game. The speed and upper body position come from the shoulder muscles, while the torque and speed of movement uses the core and lower back muscles. Forearm muscles and wrist muscles help control the golf club.

 The lower body also plays a role in golf, with hamstrings helping to maintain posture, and quadriceps and calf muscles helping with balance.

Brandon at Fairway Approach created a great resource for creating your own golf workout and incorporating specific exercises that are very beneficial for golfers.

 Golf Injuries

The full body movement of the swing, which consists of shoulder movement and core rotation is one area that can put players at risk of injury. Common golfing injuries can include: Upper and lower back strain, shoulder injuries like shoulder tendinitis, elbow injuries like Golfer’s Elbow and hand and wrist injuries.

 Stretching and Reduction of Injury

Stretching can help to improve the flexibility of the muscles and joints, particularly around the high use areas of the shoulders and core, and can help to reduce the stress that occurs in these areas during play. The muscle strain and muscle soreness that are common among golfers can also be eased by the increased flexibility and range of motion that stretching can provide. Stretching can also increase balance, which would reduce strain placed upon muscles such as the core and back which help to hold balance during play.

 Game Improvements

The incorporation of stretching, beyond helping to prevent injury, can help with your golf swing. A study published in the International Journal of Sports Management in 2009 found that when golfers performed dynamic stretching prior to play, they produced greater club head speeds and greater ball speeds. The same study also found that by performing dynamic stretching golfers had straighter swing paths and more central impact points on the ball. The stretches targeted the muscle groups of the trunk, shoulders and lower body, and showed that by incorporating stretching golfers could improve their golf swing performance, shot distance and accuracy.

 Important Areas to Stretch

To help prevent injury and improve your golf game, certain muscle groups should be targeted. Quads, thighs, hips and hamstrings should be targeted to help improve flexibility and swing. Back muscles should be stretched to aid in the rotation of the swing, and core muscles to help with balance. Shoulder stretches help to improve the range of motion, and reduce risk of injury, and wrist stretches should also be incorporated.

 Stretch Therapy and Golf

Stretch therapy can help to achieve a deeper stretch in many of the important areas. Stretch therapists are trained to help get the most out of each stretch, customized for each client, and can help to deepen the stretch in hard to reach areas.

Sources:

https://www.niftygolf.com/blog/golf-stretching/

https://stretchcoach.com/articles/stretches-for-golf/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/multimedia/golf-stretches/sls-20076248

http://fairwayapproach.com/complete-golf-workouts/

International Journal of Sports Medicine, 2009. “Dynamic Stretching and Golf Swing Performance”, K.A. Moran et al.