Golfers Turn to Chiropractic for Winning Physical Strategies

Local Chiropractor Offers Tips for Mid-South Golfers

Memphis, TN – Sept. 1, 2000 – Both Professional and amateur golfers have learned that chiropractors can help prepare them physically for their best game of golf and get them back on the links quickly when an injury occurs, reports the August 2000 issue of the Journal of the American Chiropractic Association.

Many avid golfers contort their bodies into oddly twisted postures, generating a great deal of torque – the twisting force that opens a bottle cap –on the back. Couple this motion with a bent-over stance, repeat 90 to 120 times over three or four hours, add the fatigue that comes with several miles of walking, and you’ve got a good workout, as well as a recipe for potential lower back trouble. As golf grows ever more popular, chiropractors advocate taking a proactive approach that prepares the body for pain-free play.

“Most golfers play until they get hurt, then look for help,” says Dr. B. Craig Thomas, an expert in chiropractic sports medicine, pain management and rehabilitation, an avid golfer himself. “We’re spending more and more money on technology – titanium heads, graphite shafts, high tech grips and special shoes – but we’re not looking at the most important piece of golf equipment: the human body. It’s much smarter to do simple things to prepare yourself for golfing and reduce the likelihood of injuries. I work with golfers who want to be able to play for a lifetime without pain.”

Many professional golfers, including Tiger Woods, use chiropractic care to help them prevent and treat injuries. Just recently, Pierre Fulke of Sweden , dogged by a pesky wrist injury that sidelined him for seven months, successfully found relief from Swedish team chiropractor Michael Jansch, who diagnosed referred pain from neck and back problems. Fulke returned to the PGA Tour in June after chiropractic treatment. Senior PGA Tour golfer Gil Morgan also was able to return to play after chiropractic care and physical therapy dramatically improved his pulled rib muscle.

In fact, the PGA employs a chiropractor for its players. Tom La Fountain, DC, DABCO, has toured with the PGA for the past five years, traveling and working out of a modern, mobile medical unit with physical therapists, orthopedic surgeons, a dermatologist and an ophthalmologist. La Fountain reports that up to 85 percent of the injuries on the PGA Tour and Senior Tour relate to the spine, and about 75 percent of those golfers receive regular chiropractic treatment.

“There is a demand for our services because golf happens to be a sport where the primary injury is back-related,” La Fountain said. “The golf swing puts an unusual demand on the body; its unilateral rotation in the spine puts the average spine under a great deal of stress.”

But professionals aren’t the only golfers who’ve discovered the benefits of chiropractic care, according to Thomas.

“I work with patients who are avid weekend golfers but who want individualized treatment plans to help them avoid injuries and stay at the top of their game,” Thomas said. “I’ve seen a lot of success with this approach.”

Thomas suggests these tips to help protect golfers’ backs and improve their games:

• Purchase equipment that fits. Don’t try to adapt your swing to the wrong clubs or you’re inviting back trouble.
• Take lessons. Learning proper swing technique is critical. At the end of the swing, you want to be standing straight up; the back should not be twisted.
• Wear orthotics. These custom-made shoe inserts support the arch, absorb the shock, increase coordination and improve the entire body’s balance and stability.
• Avoid metal spikes. They tear up greens and can increase stress on the back. Soft shoes or soft spikes allow for greater motion.
• Warm up before each round. Take a brisk walk to get blood flowing to the muscles before stretching out. Once you’re loose, take 15-20 practice swings.
• Pull, don’t carry, your golf bag. Carrying a heavy bag for 18 holes can cause the spine to shrink, leading to disk problems and nerve irritation. Walking the course is not only great exercise, but also helps protect your back. If you prefer to ride in a cart, alternate riding and walking every other hole because bouncing around in a cart is hard on the spine.
• Keep your entire body involved. Every third hole, take a few practice swings with the opposite hand to keep your muscles balanced and even out stress on the back.
• Drink lots of water. Dehydration causes early fatigue, leading you to compensate by adjusting your swing, thus promoting injury risk. Don’t smoke or drink while golfing, as both cause fluid loss.
• Take the “drop”. One bad swing – striking a root or a rock with your club – can damage a wrist. If unsure whether you can get a clean swing, take the drop.

“Chiropractic care helps golfers play better and feel better because it gives them increased motion and flexibility,” Thomas said. He also recommends that golfers take vitamins and minerals.

“Calcium is a natural muscle relaxant,” he said, “and B vitamins help reduce inflammation. Also, research shows that glucosamine sulphate helps limit arthritic degenerative changes.”

Dr. Thomas treats patients at Cole Pain Therapy Group, located at 2845 Summer Oaks Drive in Bartlett, TN. He can be reached by calling (901) 377-2340.