Golf is hard. There are so many different variables that come into play on each swing of the club. A great question I have for you is, what is the most important part of your golf game? Clubs? Weather? Course condition? All of these are very important pieces of solving the golf puzzle but what about your body? The body is a complex structure that is built to move freely but is susceptible to dysfunction. When your body becomes misaligned, or subluxated, the result is pressure on your nerves in turn hindering the performance of your nervous system. Without your Nervous system performing at its highest level, things like swing mechanics can suffer tremendously.
Let’s break down the biomechanics of the entire golf swing. A solid golf swing starts with a strong foundation in your body. Your pelvis is where most of your power is created. Your lower body and pelvis create torque during the swing, while your upper body acts like a whip. Without that strong foundation on the bottom half and flexibility on the top, your swing will suffer. Next up is the flexibility in the low back, torso, and, shoulders. Without proper rotation you wouldn’t have much of a golf swing and would be putting much more stress on your legs and arms increasing the risk for injury.
An important thing to remember is that your body is controlled by the brain through over 100 billion nerves. The nerve supply to your upper body comes from your neck. Subluxation (misalignment in the spine) in the neck, decreased cervical (neck) curve, or poor body posture all limit the possible nerve flow to your body. A common swing malfunction in golfers today already takes place before the swing even starts- poor posture/set up. The stance of most golfers is head forward, shoulders rounded forward with the chest drooping downward. This stance affects the consistency of the swing making it difficult for the “weekend” golfer to replicate a swing time and time again. If you have watched any of the professional golfers today you would see they stand chest out, shoulders square and head in alignment with the rest of their spine. This stance allows them to easily duplicate each swing making their game that much better.
Regular corrective Chiropractic adjustments to the spine can help improve nerve flow and communication to the body. This can help improve posture, flexibility, and overall strength improving the ability to repeat the swing motion consistently. A couple of important things to pair with the chiropractic adjustment are stretching and strength training exercises. These exercises help increase flexibility and build strength around the new, CORRECT, structure of the body.
The key to building and maintaining correct biomechanics in the body starts with your nervous system. Regular corrective adjustments will help keep your nervous system operating at max potential allowing your body to perform at its absolute best. Keeping your body moving is critical to living a healthy and enjoyable life and dropping a few strokes from your handicap is an excellent side effect. Golf is one of the only sports that can be played at any age, so keep your spine healthy and enjoy playing it as long as you can!
In Health,
Dr. Kyler Maxfield
