Golf Stretching Can Prevent These 5 Common Injuries

Golf Exercises — Thu, 14 May 2009 07:19:36 +0000

Golf is a deceptively gentle game. The casual observer will simply see the singular swing and the leisurely walk towards the ball’s landing spot. The golfer knows the repetitive and strenuous routines that will maximize power output and ball control.

The muscles used in golf range from the thighs which provide the stability and power to the forearm which delivers all that energy into one decisive shot. However, the sudden explosion of force and power can and will cause some serious damage to the careless golfer.
photo credit: mauspray

In order to counter this, specialized stretching techniques were developed specifically to target the ‘golf’ muscles, or the muscles most used in that golf swing. These golf stretching techniques then help to prevent:

Knee Injuries

The knees are the foundation of the body as it swings the club. Energy is pulled directly upward, and the huge amount of energy being pulled can tear ligaments, rip muscles and dislocate the knee. The knee is particularly vulnerable to injury, as the twisted angle puts immense stress on the ligaments supporting the kneecap.

Back and Butt Injuries

The energy then travels from the knees up the legs, and is amplified by the muscle groups located in the back and butt muscles. These muscles directly add to the energy pulled up from the legs, as evidenced by the sharp muscle contractions felt when delivering a solid golf swing. This also makes these muscle groups susceptible to injury, as the process of amplifying the energy for a swing is a sudden and explosive one.

Shoulder Injuries

The energy from the legs and amplified by the muscles in the back and butt now has to be redirected to the arms. This is the job of the shoulders, and the task of redirecting that energy puts a lot of stress unto the muscle group known as the rotator cuffs. Channeling that raw energy requires the cuffs to rotate in an awkward angle, and this angle is what causes the damage to a shoulder that has not been warmed up.

Elbow Injuries

Once the energy has been directed to the arm, it would then be the job of the elbow to both steer energy to the hands and enhance the power output by ‘slinging’ the entire arm. Like the shoulders and the knees, a ‘cold’ elbow’s tendons and ligaments can and will get torn when subjected to the explosive energy of a golf swing. Throw in a badly angled swing, and you can prepare yourself to wear an arm-sling for quite some time to come.

Wrist Injuries

The wrist is the most delicate part of the process, and the most susceptible to injury among the five common golfing injuries. The limited rotation capabilities, the delicate bone groups and a large amount of tendons and ligaments turn a ‘cold’ wrist into a ticking time bomb that could incapacitate a golfer for life.

These five common injuries can ruin a golfer’s future in the sport, but are also easily avoided by using the right measures. Just remember to do the right golf stretches before swinging the club, and you will be safe from the crippling effects of these injuries.

This Post is Courtesy of: Effective Golf Exercises, where you can get the latest news and resources on golf exercises.

Golf Stretching Can Prevent These 5 Common Injuries

The 6 Body Areas that Require Golf Stretches

Golf Exercises — Sun, 03 May 2009 21:32:00 +0000

photo credit: xamogelo

When you are ready to take on the green, don’t find your swing cutting short! Good stretching for your golf is essential, and not only can it prevent you from hurting yourself, you will also find that it can do a lot to improve your game!

1.Quadriceps
Your quadricep muscles are the ones that are at the front of your thighs. They help keep you steady and bring power to your stance. To get the most out of them, stand with your arms crossed and your back to a chair. Hook one foot over the seat of the chair and tighten your buttocks. You may also want to rotate your shoulders both to the right and the left as you do this.

2.Back
Back injuries in golf are distressingly common, so make sure that you don’t get one! One great back exercise is to bend down to touch your toes, and then “unroll” your spine until you are standing with your shoulders back and squared. You may also want to stand with your hands on the wall at waist height and then back up until your body is bent forward and you feel a stretch near your armpits.

3.Hamstrings
Your hamstrings are located in the back of your thighs, and this is a very bad area to get a tear or a sprain. Find a small elevation where you can plant your foot, and with a slight bend in your knee, lean your body forward over the raised knee in a lunge. Make sure that you keep your hips squared and your spine straight. Continue until you feel a stretch in the back of your thigh, and then repeat with the other leg.

4.Hips
If you want to to get the most out of your stance, don’t miss out on your hips. When you are sitting down on a low chair, bring your right knee up towards your left shoulder. You may use your hands to help you support the weight of your leg and to get the most out of the stretch. Then release and repeat with the other leg

5.Shoulders
Stand squared up with your feet about shoulder width’s apart, and then hold your left elbow with your right hand. As you keep your left thumb pointing towards the ceiling, bend our left wrist toward your left thumb. Then twist your upper body to the right and pull back on your left elbow until you can feel the stretch. Then reverse this for your opposite side.

6.Core muscles
The core muscles are the muscles that are on your trunk, and they are the real foundation of just about everything that you do in golf. To stretch them, all you need to do is to cross your hands over our chest and to lean forward slightly. Then rotate your upper body as though you were going through a back swing. This is a great way to make sure that your core is loosened up and ready for action on the green!

This Post is Courtesy of: Effective Golf Exercises, where you can get the latest news and resources on golf exercises.

The 6 Body Areas that Require Golf Stretches

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Golf Stretching Can Prevent These 5 Common Injuries

The 6 Body Areas that Require Golf Stretches

Effective Golf Exercises » golf stretching