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Chiropractic - An Adjustment in Your
Game
Chiropractic care is
standard for many pro golfers. Professional
golfer Lori West attributes the reason she’s
playing today to chiropractic. Nearly two
decades ago, she began visiting a
chiropractor for pain in her shoulders and
neck. According to West, the care has
infinitely improved her golf game.
According to Dr. Travis
Ruda, chiropractor and golf enthusiast, the
golf swing in and of itself isn’t conducive
to having a healthy back. To have a good
swing you create tension in your spine.
(this enables you to get good distance).
The tension comes from the hips stopping and
the shoulders continuing to rotate.
Basically, you make a coil. You’re
uncoiling when you start your downswing.
Since that’s an awkward movement for your
back, many golfers end up with lower back
problems.
Here’s some
chiropractic advice.
-
Before your game,
do some basic stretches. Stretch out
hamstrings and groin area.
-
Put a club across
your shoulders and lean left and right.
-
Get in a position
of where you would be in a swing and
bend left and right.
-
Grab a club behind
your back and raise it up, stretching
your shoulder muscles.
-
Grab the club
backwards – so if you normally swing
right-handed, you’d grab it like you’d
be swinging left-handed- and take 10
practice swings that way. You’re
stretching different muscles and it will
help you loosen up considerably.
-
You can do neck
stretches if it’s tight. Stiff neck
muscles inhibit the rest of the body
from turning freely.
-
Golfer’s elbow is
a painful condition in which your arm
bone becomes sore and tender.
Chiropractors can adjust the
over-rotated bone.
-
Orthodic
stabilizers for your shoes can help
improve balance so your swing is better.
-
Anything that
helps with flexibility eventually helps
with your game. As you get older, your
swing naturally shortens since the
muscles aren’t as supple. Flexibility
is very important for older golfers.
-
You have to have
good balance if you want to hit the golf
ball consistently. A healthy spine is
paramount to proper balance and posture.
Improve your balance and you’ll improve
your consistency.
-
During the winter,
work on stretching the muscles of the
arms, shoulders and back.
Chiropractors care for
your body structure overall, not just the
back. So if your muscles are feeling out of
sync, chiropractic may be the just the
adjustment your body and game needs!
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