Spring is here and another golf season is upon us! While you get the dust off your clubs it's important to keep a few things in mind that will keep you healthy and enjoying the course all season long....

If you haven't played for a few months, ease in!

It's easy to get excited about the nice weather and lush fairways, but be cautious about overdoing it. Don't go to the driving range on Saturday to hit two large buckets of balls in anticipation for your Sunday round. Start with one small bucket and give yourself a day off between sessions to avoid muscle soreness. If you get stiff and tight from overdoing it, your practice session likely won't help your game anyways! For those of you who can’t fathom calling one small bucket a practice session, you can spend as much time on the practice green as you like to round out your session!

Warm up!

This should go without saying but it's always important to warm up prior to physical activity. Some basic rules for warm-up are to get your blood flowing first, avoid static stretching prior to activity, and focus on movements specific to the activity you're about to perform. Here's the minimum I would recommend prior to swinging a club for injury prevention and improved swing motion:

1. Jumping jacks, lunges, squats, or a brisk walk around the parking lot.

2. 5-10 hip circles each way.

3. 5 controlled thoracic rotations each way (get in golf stance with a club across your shoulders and slowly rotate your upper body while keeping your lower body still, do not force your rotation beyond what’s comfortable).

4. 5 controlled neck rotations each way (stand up straight, keep your body still and slowly rotate your head side to side, stay just short of the end range of motion and never force your head to move further than what’s comfortable).

5. 5-10 arm circles forwards and backwards.

6. 5-10 wrist circles forwards and backwards

Think about the other half of your body!

Golf is a very unilateral sport and it’s important to keep the muscles of your body balanced from side to side. So, to counter the impacts of always swinging one-way, swing your club a few times the opposite way now and then. If you’re super keen and play is slow, swing three times the opposite way for every ball you hit during your round. It won’t be perfect, but it can go a long way in terms of balancing out the body.

Slow is smooth and smooth is fast.

Ever give your swing a little extra oomph to try and gain a few yards, with an accompanying groan after straining your back in the process? Always remember that making solid contact with the ball in the centre of the club face is more important than club head speed. Focus on having a smooth tempo to your swing and making solid contact with the ball instead of swinging with everything you have. Your back (and handicap) will thank you for it.

Keep your spine healthy!

The key to a healthy spine is being straight and balanced. Like having proper alignment for your car, proper alignment of your spine will prevent uneven wear and tear on your body. It is also important to remember that golf is a game of millimetres and even a slight deviation from your normal swing position can wreak havoc on your game. Here at Straight Spine Chiropractic, we routinely see patient’s pelvic tilt change by 2-4 degrees when they’re out of alignment. Think that might have an impact on ball striking?

Stay on top of your spinal alignment this summer and have a great season out on the course! Give us a call at (250) 334-2262 to schedule an appointment!