Golf injury prevention with Pilates

Bad position and a bad technique cause many wounds in golf. If we divide the body in: upper and lower train, we say that the upper train is imperative to keep flexibility on the shoulders, a good scapular-thoracic stability and the prevention of muscular misbalance. Whilst in the lower train, it is equally important giving potency to the movement’s wideness in the hips joint and flexibility in the ischial bones, as increasing resistance in legs to reach a stable base and to improve balance, as well as to prevent fatigue.

Shoulders: they are a very important part to get an athletic swing. Consequently, the shoulders’ muscles must be in good shape and really flexible. Harm may come in the leading shoulder (the left in right-handed golf players), causing a painful shoulder and tendonitis, for being in an elevated position at the “stand” and for the level of tension it is submitted from the backswing until the breakpoint. With Pilates you'll be able to strengthen the upper back, stabilize the scapular-humeral area, and give it flexibility. Strength and flexibility are the keys to keep in shape that leading shoulder.

Elbows, hands and wrists: External humeral epicondylitis (golfer player) is an inflammation of the elbows tendons that produces a degeneration of the surrounding area. A weak shoulder also contributes to the development of tendonitis in the leading arm due to the elbow’s compensation. If the shoulder is weak, elbow and arm have to make double work to compensate that instability.

Upper middle back area: Golf players occasionally have pain and hypomovility (wideness movement loss) in the middle and upper back, due to a bad position, which may reduce the spine’s rotation. Increasing the tome and the strength of these areas will ease the pain and help the golfer to prevent lesion on the back. Besides the appropriate stretchings, they will provide a good flexibility of the thoracic column.

Lower back: Pain on this area is common among golfers who due to malfunctions of movement (wrong swing mechanism) and bad position (bad stability of the lumbar-pelvic area). Bad position is because of the lack of abdominal control and lumbar stabilization. Little flexible hips may generate that bad position and pain in the lumbar area.

Knees: The knee’s joint suffers tensions because of the rotation and the weight transfer they go through. Strengthening this area is essential to prevent injuries. It’s been developed program of strength and flexibility for the neighboring muscles of the knee’s joint.

Neck: Neck injuries are not so frequent; however a golf player with a weak cervical column may experiment a very limited neck rotation. Pilates may improve this difficulty and give stability to the neck during the backswing.