Having a solid golf swing is directly connected to having a solid foundation in your body. The pelvis is the source of stability and power in the golf swing. The lower body and pelvis move in a piston motion and must create torque, while the upper body and shoulders turn as a Ferris wheel and act as a whip. Instability in the pelvis can limit torque and power while restrictions in flexibility can limit the whip action of the shoulder turn.

Pelvic Stability and the Golf Swing
The pelvis is the weight-bearing foundation of the trunk and spine, and consists of a Sacro-iliac (SI) joint on each side of the pelvis. Roughly 85% of people have what is called a subluxation of the SI joint/pelvis. Weakness or micro-tears in the pelvic ligaments create an inability of the pelvis to bare weight on the side of the weak SI joint. This is almost like having a sprained ankle, but in the pelvis. For the golfer that translates to a poor golf swing. For most people this may be a painless condition, or may include pain in the SI joint, low back and hips. 

Let’s see how this condition may affect a right handed golfer:

If the right SI joint is unstable, the golfer will have trouble loading (finishing) the backswing, and creating the wind-up torque necessary to generate power. If you don’t get behind the ball on the takeaway, it usually creates a slide and slap reaction and the ball will fade or slice (if the hands don’t correct). This will also suck the distance out of your game. Likewise, if the left side of the pelvis is unstable, it will be difficult to finish your shot and swing through to the left side. This will create a severe loss of power. 

Chiropractic care adds distance and repetitiveness to the golfer’s game by realigning the pelvic bones and allowing the pelvic ligaments to heal. The chiropractic adjustment also realigns the lumbar spine (low back) thereby improving muscle action of the lower body. Combining chiropractic adjustments with pelvic and core stability training will decrease your handicap considerably.

The Upper Body and the Golf Swing
Imagine that we now have a strong and stable foundation for our swing. Now we need a flexible torso and strong, yet flexible, shoulders to create the whip action. Nerve supply to the upper back, chest, shoulders and arms, comes from the neck, or cervical spine. Poor body posture, decreased cervical curvature, and subluxations in the cervical spine, all reduce nerve flow to the upper body. Most golfers have a tendency to have head forward, shoulders rounded forward and chest drooping downward-the posture all of our parents warned us against when they badgered us with the “stand up straight” mantra. Just look at the posture of most of the young golfers coming up today: proud chest, square shoulders, and head in alignment with the rest of the spine. Regular chiropractic adjustments to the cervical spine help to improve nerve flow to all of the joints and muscles of the upper body, allowing for improved posture, less stiffness, more strength and a freer, more repetitive golf swing. You must also spend a bit of time strengthening the small shoulder muscles, like the rotator cuff muscles in order to get the shoulders and arms to fire from the top of the backswing. Doing rotational stretches for the entire spine will help with the rotation necessary to have a fluid swing that is powerful.

Solid mechanics in the golf swing start with your nervous system. Regular chiropractic adjustments will keep your swing on track. Strength and flexibility training are essential in helping to make this game easy and enjoyable. Remember, golf is one of the only sports we can play at any age, so keep your spine healthy and you’ll be swinging into the next century.

For help with your exercise routine, please visit Dr. Cherie Smith’s website at www.DrCherieSmith.com.

To improve your swing mechanics, sign up for an LPGA golf clinic at www.LPGAGolfClinicsForWomen.com.