Posture, Fitness, and Flexibility Are Key to a Better Game and to Avoiding Injuries. Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Annika Sorenstam highlight a new athleticism associated with a sport that was once considered leisurely. Today's amateur and professional golfers, men and women alike, are stronger, more flexible, and wielding more powerful swings than ever before.

According to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), awareness of proper posture and the importance of fitness and flexibility are just as important for weekend golfers as they are for the pros. George "Chip" O'Malley, PT, of First Choice Rehabilitation Specialists in York, has worked with a number of local golfers and is an avid golfer himself. Says O'Malley, "Golfers spend thousands of dollars each year on new or improved equipment, but their most essential piece of equipment is their body."

Be Prepared to Excel

As Central PA's golfers start hitting the links again this spring, they need to take the time to work at their game and their conditioning if they want to excel on the course. According to O'Malley, golfers should have access to a physical therapist who can assess their physical abilities and provide individualized training programs that address musculoskeletal balance, body mechanics, strength, posturing and overall fitness.

The Swing's the Thing

Professional golfers make it look easy, but the golf swing is actually one of the most difficult and complicated movements in all of sports, requiring stability in some joints and flexibility in others. "Having proper motion, strength, and function throughout the swing plays a large role in preventing injuries," says O'Malley. "The payoff of a better swing is a more accurate ball strike, greater distance, and reduced stress on the muscles and joints."

Keeping Injuries at Bay

Mr. O'Malley observes that his patients who are primarily weekend golfers often complain of spinal-related injuries, including upper and lower back, shoulder and neck pain. "Leisure golfers attempt to swing with the speed and force of professional athletes, but they have to remember that with each swing, seven to eight times a golfer's weight is directed into the spine. With this kind of force, it's easy to damage discs and strain muscles," says O'Malley.

Golfers of all ages and abilities should make a habit of warming up and stretching before teeing off, adds Chip. It is valuable for golfers to spend just a few minutes warming up and stretching some of the key muscle groups before practice or play. Overall conditioning also plays a crucial role in performance. Fatigue can result in errant shots and inconsistent swings. To keep endurance up and muscles warm and responsive, O'Malley suggests golfers walk the course whenever possible as continued aerobic conditioning is an essential component of total golf fitness.

Locally, O'Malley recommends the "Golf Better" program which he conducts at this First Choice Rehab physical therapy clinic in York. With the program, he can help golfers identify and fix the biomechanical causes of a poor swing.