Introduction
Imagine this: You've just completed a satisfying front 9 and you're setting up for the back 9 on the lush green tee box of your favorite course in Kansas City. You begin your backswing and that old twinge in your back pops up as you slice one into the rough. You power through it but everything seems to go downhill from here and you can't seem to find your groove again. You start to wonder if you need new clubs, if the balls you used were at play, if you should get more lessons or choose a different instructor...the list goes on. You ignore the back pain as a possible culprit convinced that you can just continue to power through it and that it's not affecting your game because it doesn't hurt that bad.
We have good news and bad news for you: the bad news is that the back pain is likely affecting your golf game, and the good news is that we have a solution for you.
Why pain affects your performance
I know quite a few golfers that have been playing through the pain for years, sometimes decades. They're totally convinced that the deficiencies in their game have nothing to do with the pain they feel.
The problem with this is that pain produces subtleties in your swing that are likely playing a part in your performance. Pain is going to cause tension in the muscles as a protective reaction which in turn is going to lead to joint restrictions in order to further protect the area. This causes an overall lack of mobility. When your mobility isn't there, you're going to try to make up for the power in your swing elsewhere. So you'll chew up other places in your body that aren't meant to be the sole, primary power generator when you swing. We see this a lot with low back pain and shoulder pain in golfers.
A golf swing is very much a series of movements that build on each other. The pelvis should initiate the swing, followed by the torso, then the shoulders, and finally the arms. If you aren't able to rotate your hips well, the torso is going to take over, leading to things like low and mid back pain. If the torso isn't able to rotate well, then your shoulders are likely going to try to make up for it and generate the force, leading to shoulder pain. If the shoulders can't rotate and flex well, then the elbows are going to try to help out more than they need to as well, leading to a common condition called golfers' elbow.
When you have pain at any of these levels, you're going to try to make up for it by overutilizing another area, which is going to take yards off your swing and eventually time away from the course as the pain gets worse.
Why YouTube Videos and Social Media Fixes Won't Be Right For Everyone
Did I read your mind? Were you already searching YouTube videos and saving social media clips that talked about your specific pain that you get when golfing? To be fair, sometimes this can really help your problem. We are involved in this camp as we distribute free exercises, stretching routines, and educational tips all the time. Here's a few below on unlocking your backswing and improving overall golf mobility:
But there are a few limitations with these videos:
1) You are unlikely to perform them consistently enough to make lasting changes.
This isn't a knock on you reading this, this is based on hard evidence. Research tells us that over 80% of people will quit a home exercise program within 1 week of starting. Thus, it's highly unlikely that any results will follow.
2) They are not specific to YOU.
Don't get me wrong, we enjoy providing free material to our audience. It can provide temporary relief and make you a better informed patient. But the problem is that none of these exercises are based on YOUR unique situation. We haven't done a thorough assessment and haven't actually worked with you in person to make sure that you're doing the exercises that will be best for you, that you're performing the exercises correctly, and that you're feeling them in the right places. Without that, you may be spinning your wheels on exercises that you don't need.
Gain Yards and Years: Solving Your Problem for Good
How do you solve this problem then? You see an expert.
Our team will solve your problem for good by utilizing an approach that analyzes your swing and breaks down every level of your body, joint by joint, to see where there are problem areas. We then match your problem with a combination of adjustments, soft-tissue therapies, and corrective exercise to improve your mobility and unlock parts of your body that were previously causing negative compensations.
By prioritizing your body with the help of our team at Bergner Chiropractic, you can experience not only pain-free golfing, but also elevate your game to the next level by:
Increasing Clubhead Speed: Improving hip and mid-back rotation translates to greater clubhead speed, allowing you to drive the ball further down the fairway with ease.
Enhanced Accuracy: We not only work on decreasing your pain but we simultaneously work on increasing motor control. When you have better control and stability in your back and joints, you are able to maintain proper positioning throughout your swing which leads to more accurate shots.
Reduced Injury Risk: Seeing an expert like Bergner Chiropractic allows your body to have a lower risk of injury on the course, since you will have better mobility and motor control going forward. In the instance you do get re-injured, the good thing is that you wouldn't be starting from zero anymore and you will have plenty of tools at your disposal for a much swifter recovery.
Conclusion
Don't let pain hold you back from unlocking your full potential and ability on the golf course. With the expertise and personalized care available at Bergner Chiropractic, you can overcome pain and limitations, and elevate your game to the next level. Take the first step towards pain-free performance and schedule a free discovery visit with Dr. Bergner in Overland Park today. Your best days on the course await!
Click HERE to book your free discovery visit with Bergner Chiropractic today!
Dr. Luke Bergner
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