Will Chiropractic care make you a better golfer? In terms of your putting skills, probably not. What chiropractic care does offer is better mobility and flexibility of the entire skeletal chain to make that golf swing easier on your body. Good Chiropractic care of your back and hips will also make your body less prone to injuries. Whether you’re a beginner or shooting under 75 on the course all the time, regular visits to our Chiropractor in West Vancouver will help you maintain a more consistent game with better body biomechanics.
There’s a reason why top golfers such as Tiger Woods and Arnold Palmer have used chiropractors for years. The PGA also has its own dedicated team of chiropractors on call.
Regular professional chiropractic care of your spine can help you feel comfortable, balanced, and confident on the course. You may well notice a difference in your performance on the course – a healthy back means a healthy game of golf.
How Playing Golf Impacts Your Body
Golf is one of the world’s most popular sports. It’s good for overall health in terms of getting outside to exercise regularly. It’s also good for a better mind to body connection which makes golf a very cerebral activity. But it’s not without its injuries and risks.
Although Golf isn’t considered one of the most high-octane sports in the world, your body still responds to the repetitive actions of swinging a club with power. A skilled golfer will hit a ball at over 100 kilometers per hour.
One of the most affected areas by any type of repetitive motion is your lower back and hips. That twisting motion that all golfers try and perfect? It’s a combination of rotation, extension, and a lateral bend. That’s the motion that will eventually lead to back pain and possibly worse complications if you do not also do some regular self-maintenance and visits to the chiropractor.
Let’s also not forget the grip of the club and the mechanics of the swing. Gripping too tightly and swinging too much with your arms will invariably lead to either golfer’s elbow to tennis elbow. Your shoulders will also be part of the injury chain if you tend to rely too much on your shoulders and arms. Injuries such as tendinitis and bursitis, together with rotator cuff injuries are all too common.
Chiropractic Care and Golf
There’s no doubt that chiropractic care is a successful means of staying fit on the golf course. So many professional golfers have stood by their decisions to receive regular chiropractic treatment and have even claimed it makes them better golfers.
How does it work? Individual chiropractic care is the most personalized form of medical attention you’re likely to receive for sports-based injuries. Here at Ambleside Chiropractic in West Vancouver, we take an overall approach to a patient’s injuries, searching for the causes as well as alleviating the symptoms. We also see golfers regularly in our Chiropractic clinic in West Vancouver for regular maintenance and preventative care more than most parts of Canada due to our milder weather on the west coast. You don’t have to be injured to get Chiropractic care.
Misalignments of the Spine
Misalignment diagnosis and correction are the fundamentals of chiropractic care. On your first visit to a chiropractor, whether you’re visiting because of a pain in your back while you play golf or for some other reason, the chiropractor will always examine your spine as the first port of call.
This is to look for misalignments, that have formed in the back and hips. Correcting misalignments isn’t just applicable for golfers, as the reduction in pain and inflammation can make everyday life much more comfortable. A properly functioning spine, hips, and back means a better golf swing.
Correcting misalignments requires no surgery. This is why it’s a good choice for pro golfers and an excellent choice for even the casual player. Many will notice a performance uptick out on the course and it doesn’t involve any invasive or painful surgery.
Searching For The Causes of Other Aches and Pains
Other than back pain and hip dysfunction, other problems when playing golf also manifests itself. Sprains, strains, tendonitis, bursitis, and even neck pain occurs more often with the game then even back pain. Improper technique, bad biomechanics, sloppy posture, and even ill-fitting clubs cause a variety of repetitive soft tissue injuries. The lack of pre and post-self-care such as warm-up exercises, stretches, and basic gym exercises to strengthen weak parts of the body are also to blame.
Joints, muscles, tendons, and bones all interact with each other out on the golf course, and the pain you’re experiencing could be coming from your hips, neck, or your back. Our Chiropractor in West Vancouver will offer not only in-clinic therapy but also advice on lifestyle changes and patient-specific stretching routines that could have a massive impact on reducing pain while you play. Improving general physical fitness through a good dietary plan and exercising regularly will have a positive impact on your golf performance.
Advice From Your Chiropractor in West Vancouver
If you start to notice pain while you play golf, it’s a good idea to visit a chiropractor as soon as you can. Problems, if left to linger, can get much worse over time. Pain can spread from a single area in the body and manifest itself elsewhere, whether it’s your legs, hips, or neck.
Our West Vancouver Chiropractor will be able to offer personalized care and advice based on your specific golf-related injury symptoms. Care and attention, whether its misalignment correction, fixing your sore elbow, or lifestyle advice, will lead to a reduced risk of injury in the long run. If the golf pros believe in chiropractic care, perhaps you should too. It might just bring down the numbers on the scorecard. Now that’s something to talk about in the clubhouse after the 18th hole.
