Golf Exercises
Mar 02, 2016
While golf is a popular sport for many in Colorado, it also leaves many participants complaining of back pain. Unfortunately, golf is often associated with low back pain because it requires a motion of rotation which the low back is not made to perform. The low back is anatomically built to be primarily a forward moving joint with minimal rotation. Building a strong core will help maintain stability in the low back, while allowing the needed rotational action from accessory joints such as the mid back and hip regions.
Here is a great “Core Control” exercise called the Dead Bug. The golfer starts the exercise on their back with the knees bent and the hands placed on their abdomen. The lower abdominal is contracted to stabilize the lumbar spine and hold it in a neutral position. From this beginning positon, the arms and legs are lifted to the ceiling followed by raising and lowering opposite arms and legs while maintaining the spine in a neutral position through isometric contraction of the abdominal wall. This exercise can be advanced by performing an isometric contraction against a ball.