Spring is in the air and it is time to grab the golf clubs and head for the course. Craig Klos, PT, ATC is our guest blogger this week. He has provided an instructional video on how to effectively “loosen up” your joints and how to stretch key muscle groups prior to hitting your first drive down the middle of the fairway.
A golfer needs to move his or her joints and stretch muscles through “tri-plane” movements. According to Gary Gray, PT, and Dr. David Tiberio, Ph.D., PT, OCS, of The Gray Institute, there are 70 major joints and 400 muscles in the human body. Each of these 70 major joints move in 3 planes of motion and the 400 muscles function in 3 planes of motion or “tri-plane” motion (Tiberio, 30 April 2010).
Here are the top five stretches you should know before hitting the course. There is a video demonstration as well as pictures to explain the exercises. We will utilize the Right leg but you should perform all exercises on both the Right and Left leg.
1. Range of Motion to Right & Left Hip
- Standing, facing the side of your golf cart.
- Place both hands on top of the golf cart roof or side of the roof to stabilize yourself.
- Swing your entire Right lower extremity, with knee straight, out to the side with toe-up, and then swing across the front of your body all the way to the left with toe-up.
- Next, with the Right knee bent, drive knee forward into the open space of the golf cart then with Right knee bent, drive knee up and in up and out.
- Repeat each movement x10 reps.
2. Achilles (calf) tri-plane stretch
- Right LE behind, with heel down or “nailed” to the ground, knee straight, and toes straight ahead.
- Left LE in front, with Left heel directly in front of Right toes, Left knee bent or flexed.
- Hands up high and stabilize yourself on the cart.
- Head up high
- Pelvis neutral
- Drive the Left knee toward the wall into three (3) separate vectors with the Right heel down, the Right knee straight, and Right hip and pelvis stays back.
- Finally, HOLD each position for 10 second, in each of the 3 separate vector positions, x3 reps.
3. Hamstring tri-plane stretching
- Right heel on floor of golf cart, or on seat of golf cart, or edge of golf cart.
- Hands on top of roof of golf cart to stabilize yourself.
- Initially rotate your entire Right leg inward and then rotate Right leg to outward; continue this movement for x10 reps back and forth.
- Return your Right leg to the neutral position or with Right toes straight up and attempt to move your trunk toward your Right kneecap. HOLD this position for 10 seconds.
- Then rotate your entire Right leg to the inward position, move trunk toward your Right kneecap; HOLD this position for 10 seconds.
- Finally rotate your entire Right leg to the outward position, move trunk toward your Right kneecap; HOLD this position for 10 seconds.
- Repeat each position x3 reps.
4. Hip flexor tri-plane stretching
- Non-involved Left lower extremity forward, knee bent, and toes turn inward
- Involved Right lower extremity behind you, Right toes turn inward, Right knee straight and pelvic neutral.
- Hold on to the cart for stability
- In this position, move your pelvis through a “hoola-hoop” movement or “circle the wagon.”
- Return to above “position” and do a Left side-bend of the trunk with Right UE overhead and then slightly rotate Right UE to Left and HOLD this position for 10 seconds; x3 reps.
5. Hip Adduction (groin) tri-plane stretching
- Right lower extremity on ground with knee straight, and Right foot turn outward at a 90 degree angle.
- Left leg forward with Left knee bent, in a stride position, on floor of golf cart or on the ground.
- Hold on to the cart for stability.
- Turn trunk completely straight ahead and move your pelvis through a “hoola-hoop” movement or “circle the wagon.”
- Finally in the “lean forward” position, remove hands from golf cart, place both hands in “football blocker” position and rotate trunk Left to Right with your “eyes following your hands” in the football blocker position.
- Repeat movement x10 each direction.