Many golfers claim a loss of distance on their golf shots due to age, injuries or a loss of flexibility or strength. In a 2023 study, lower back pain was reported by 37% of surveyed golfers, and almost half were not able to play golf for more than one week due to a musculoskeletal complaint.
The good news is that you can address musculoskeletal impairments that may be limiting your golf game with a functional golf assessment. The Des Moines University Clinic – Physical Therapy in the RecPlex in West Des Moines offers the Functional Golf System, which analyzes your golf swing and physical abilities to develop a customized program to improve your golf performance. The system can benefit golfers of all ages, skill levels and abilities.
The golf system includes a biomechanical analysis of your golf swing, including a video analysis and a musculoskeletal screen. This data is used to address any mobility, muscular strength, power or balance deficits. The system incorporates specific exercises to address these physical impairments. DMU’s Functional Golf System specialist, Brad Earp, P.T., D.P.T., ATC, will create a golf-specific exercise program for you based on the findings.
The functional golf analysis identifies areas of deficit within your body and your golf swing that can be improved through working on strength, stability, flexibility and balance within the ankles, hips, pelvis, back, neck and shoulders. For example:
- Strengthening the lower body, especially the hips and muscles around the pelvis, can increase club head speed and carrying distance.
- Greater core stability can optimize performance, accuracy in the golf swing and club head speed.
- Analyzing movement of a golfer’s shoulders, wrists and hands identifies areas for improvement and can help prevent upper body injuries.
- Increasing range of motion through the ankles, hips, back, chest and shoulders allows a longer backswing, increases mobility and potentially reduces injury.
- Enhancing balance through dynamic and static balance activities can improve club head speed and carry distance.
As expert physical therapists who also help instruct DMU students future health providers — the clinicians at the DMU Clinic — Physical Therapy base their treatments on the latest knowledge and scientific evidence. Studies that relate to and support the effectiveness of the Functional Golf System include the following:
- “Physical Determinants of Golf Swing Performance: A Review,” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
- “Twelve Weeks of Progressive Resistance Training Positively Improves Physical Fitness and Golf Swing Performance in Talented Youth Golfers,” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
- “Upper Body Injuries in Golfers,” Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine
- “Shoulder Motions During the Golf Swing in Male Amateur Golfers,” Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy
Take your golf game to the next level by scheduling an appointment today! Call 515-271-1725.
