Pilates & Golf

The weather has gotten warmer and the grass is greener... time to schedule those tee times.  Is your body ready to play some golf?

Approximately 60% of all amateur golfers experience injuries playing the game.  Amateur men golfers sustain injuries most commonly in the low back, elbows, hands and wrists and shoulders. The most common sites of injury for amateur women golfers are in the elbows, the low back, shoulders, and hands and wrists.

The golf swing is an unnatural, challenging, and total body movement—but in an asymmetrical way.  Imagine doing an oblique curl to just your left side 100 times and you may get a sense of the toll golf puts on a player's body.  Pilates exercises can help create symmetry and coordination, increase muscular endurance and improve range of motion.  Specifically, it focuses on core strength, alignment of foot and leg, joint and spinal flexibility, shoulder rotation, and arm, wrist and hand strength to improve impact with the ball. 

Pilates will advance a players game, prevent injury and improve general fitness.  Pilates is good for you... golfer or spectator!

Reference:

Corey, K. & Corey,P.  MD.  2006.  Create a Pilates Conditioning Program for Golfers. www.ideafit.com