Golf chiropractor Shane Lawlor discusses the ‘X-factor’ swing, favoured by players like Rory McIlroy, and the importance of strength and conditioning.
Harder, better, faster, stronger.
Professional golfers are hitting the ball further and swinging the club with more force than ever before.
Advancements in club and ball technology, along with improved strength and conditioning training, have helped players smash driving distance records, forcing designers, particularly in the United States, to lengthen their courses.
Whether the arms race is good for the sport is up for debate. Another important discussion, however, is whether it’s good for the players.
A study published in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine in February 2019 claimed the modern ‘X-factor’ swing – designed to increase distance – can cause back injuries.
Check out Shane’s XIX Podcast Interview discussing all things Golf Injuries, Rehab & Performance
▫️How he got to work on the PGA & European Tour ▫️Whats it like working with tour pros? ▫️The changes he’s seen in the past 10 years ▫️What it takes to be a tour pro? ▫️What amateurs can do to improve their game?
Shane’s talk from the Irish Strength Institute 2018 Symposium
“Building Better Senior Golfers”
Discussing a number of aspects including ▪️ Common Injuries seen in Senior Golfers ▪️ Assessing & Treating the Senior Golfer ▪️ Rehab Applications including Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization, McGill Method and Functional Range Conditioning ▪️ The Importance of a Warm Up
To prepare well for golf takes time and dedication. Our extensive experience with professional golfers on both the European & PGA Tours has shown us that nearly all professional golfers prepare for their round with a individualised warm up program and then hit the range before they play. This has a positive physical and mental impact on their ability to be ready to play and keeps them in a consistent routine.
This is not the case for a majority of the amateurs we see at the clinic, below is a sample 5 minute golf warm up you can do before you play, there are no bands or weights required for the routine. Warming up will help prepare your body to play and help to reduce injuries in the long term.
If you are suffering from a golf related injury including back pain, tennis elbow, plantar fasciitis or sciatica then contact us today to book a consultation.
Yours in Health
Lawlor Clinic | Spine & Sport
Experts in the Assessment, Treatment, and Rehab of Golf Injuries
Elbow pain is one of the most common golf injuries I see at the clinic. You will commonly know these elbow issues as tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow.
For the amateur golfer elbow injuries usually happen because of one or more of the following factors:
Bad Technique
Physical Limitation
Hitting too many balls
Over practicing off hard surfaces
Importance of Screening:
Any golfer that comes to the clinic will be expertly assessed using the Titleist Performance Institute’s (TPI) golf specific screen which will highlight your individual physical limitations that will affect your golf swing, increase your chances of injury and most likely contribute to any existing injuries such as back, wrist, neck or elbow pain.
It’s never just the elbow:
In our experience in working with amateur and professional golfers elbow pain is just a symptom of other problems:
These include:
Poor shoulder range of motion (mobility)
Poor thoracic spine mobility
Weak Scapula/Shoulder Blade Stabilisers
Referred pain from the neck
Weak grip strength
What to do about it?
With your assessment results from the TPI screen we build a specific treatment and rehabilitation program around you. We also work in conjunction with your golf coach and strength & conditioning expert to get you back to full health.
Treatment will incorporate the following techniques
