We have three tests when it comes to wrist and forearm mobility in the golf swing. In reality, wrist and forearm action melds together to create triplanar motion and positioning, a combination of all three tests in either wrist. Both wrists go through a combination of flexion/ extension, radial/ ulnar deviation, and wrist supination/ pronation at varying degrees. Having complete access to these listed motions prevents compensations to achieve positions and create intense and explosive power. We also limit the potential for injury at the wrist and forearm by maintain the mobility AND strength in that mobility. Try these tests at home and see if you are lacking in either one. If so, don’t hesitate to reach out to Integrated Rehab And Performance Center for consultation and a FREE discovery visit.

Whether it is a CrossFit gym, Orange Theory, Crunch, or private gym with personal training, you can take steps to take full advantage of your membership to achieve your goals. Taking an intentional approach to your training can pay dividends in the speed and depth of your gains early on. Follow along to learn how to systematically evaluate and train your deficiencies on the gym floor.

The initial evaluation is key for understanding what we need to do to achieve the golfers’ goals. We need to find areas of missing mobility, missing stability, altered motor control, areas of limited strength, painful and positive orthopedic testing, and examine what the golfers’ swing looks like and how that is associated with the previous findings. In other words, we search to understand their movement capabilities AND how they swing. With this, we can then determine how the issues in their swing relate to the limitations in how they move. We can also then understand how this might be creating pain now and into the future. The depth and detail of this initial exam is truly unique and one of a kind in the Nashville area.

The cervical rotation test is an important screen to show us if we need to take a closer look at neck mobility and stability. If the screen shows we have limitations, we need to figure out why, requiring a comprehensive physical exam that should also include the entirety of the body. The aim is to figure out and establish its ability to achieve golf positions with speed, consistency, and efficiency. Once we understand better what the body is capable of and what it is producing in the golf swing, we can then go about creating a plan to fix the different components impacting the swing, including cervical rotation.

We focused here mostly on what I find to be the biggest limiter in the downswing, the front side hip. Using hands on soft tissue technique, chiropractic technique, and precise movement therapy are the first steps to creating a hip that is optimal for the golf swing. After that, modified and specific exercises help to create more mobility and build back stability into that joint as we progress towards more dynamic and golf specific activities

There are many components to the backswing that need be assessed and addressed. If one component is missing mobility or motor control, the body will need to compensate to make up the difference, leading to inconsistent and less than impressive swings. Further, we increase our chances of injury and lower our longevity in the game by forcing other joints to take up the slack.

Overall, we must fully address the back side hip for internal rotation, the back side shoulder for external rotation, and the trunk for rotation to the backside. Without these regions showing enough mobility, you and your swing coach will have a tough time making consistent changes in your swing.

Outlined is a simple description of how we can take the findings of the bridge with leg extension test and start the process of improving on it. It is by no means comprehensive, but you can at least see the reasoning behind the different phases of addressing poor glute activity in the golf swing. Keep in mind, the glute muscles are vitally important at controlling the pelvis in extension and flexion as well as rotation and tilt. A comprehensive exam tells us much more about the golfer in front of us, but the bridge test does the best at looking directly at the pelvis and glutes. Check out other podcast episodes and articles on similar concepts around the pelvis and hips in the golf swing.

Determining the true anatomical source of shoulder pain is important, but a clear understanding how everything else in the shoulder complex is moving and performing is equally important. We must be able to decipher where mobility is needed, where stability is needed, and how well the patient creates proper movement patterns with the entirety of the shoulder complex under load. With these understandings, we can build a plan to address the damaged tissue AND all the issues which were the root cause of the pain and dysfunction in the first place.

This week we are discussing the phases of power training for golfers (and other rotational athletes for that matter) regardless of whether we are starting in rehab phases or directly from a performance perspective. Either way, the same system needs to be followed. First, we must address mobility and asymmetries. Even for the golfer in pain we always will address this, even if the site of the mobility loss is distant from the actual pain. It is often the case that these asymmetries and mobility issues are causal mechanisms in the generation of pain, while also being major performance limiters. Next steps include looking at motor control and stability throughout key regions and joints in the body, baseline strength, and then re-integrating movement quality and power training. Let’s take a closer look at these components to a powerful swing.

In this week’s article, we are talking about “stiffness” or “tightness”. When we feel like we can’t get into a position with ease, whether it be in the golf swing or a back squat, we can expect there to be a tissue extensibility issue, joint mobility issue, or weakness/ motor control issue. It is important on our exam and history we distinguish between these and find which is responsible for the missing range of motion and control. We use joint palpation and end play feel, single joint range of motion, global range of motion testing, and muscle palpation to help determine which issue is truly at hand.

Golfers know it, swing coaches know it, rehab professionals know it, and performance and fitness experts know it. Thoracic rotation is important. TPI has done the measurements (refer to the previous article and podcast: The Seated Trunk Rotation Test), we need access to spine rotation to get into golf positions and we need to be able to do it easily enough to be dynamic and strong through it. So how do we go about improving measurements of thoracic spine rotation? And how do we translate that to the actual golf swing?

This week, we are discussing TPI’s (Titleist Performance Institute) seated trunk rotation test. This is an essential test in understanding the golfer’s body and biomechanics capabilities for producing a repeatable, effective, and efficient golf swing. This test screens the trunk for rotation in both the back swing and the down swing. If asymmetry or deficiencies from ideal ranges are found, we know to take a closer look at thoracic spine rotation in the golfer.

This week we will show some example progression through the three stages of care for a performance patient. His main goal was improving his snatch catching position. He notes from videos that his right heel elevates off of the ground when catching the snatch and doing other overhead movements. Let’s see how we progressed this patient base doff our day 1 findings and primary goal.

This week we are going to give examples of Integrated Rehab And Performance Centers patient exam. More specifically, we are looking at an example of how we integrate lower body joints with the pelvis and spine. You will see why phases of care progress from working on mobility for various joints, into motor control for specific joints and then integrating that new mobility and motor control into big picture and broad movement patterns that the patient/ client needs for their sport, hobby, or goals. Today, we are looking at lower body exam for a CrossFitter looking to improve their snatch position and snatch performance.

This week we are discussing TPI’s lower quarter rotation test. This is an important test for screening the golfer’s ability to create adequate rotation from the pelvis down for the backswing and down-sing. If we pass this test during the TPI evaluation, then we likely won’t have to take a closer look at hip mobility. It is vital that the golfer has this motion available to them to create length in the swing, take advantage of stretch shortening reflexes, and follow the kinematic sequence (key for consistency and power).

This week, we are talking about the side-to-side sway we sometimes see in a back squat, front squat, and even body weight squat. You should know, this hip shifting action is occurring in much more than just these movements. It can occur, asymmetrically, when we lunge, snatch, clean, run, and even walk. As you can tell, what is occurring here is happening all the time, it’s almost a state of being. So, what is it?

Shoulder mobility is crucial to the performance and longevity of golfers. Golf specific testing is vital to understanding the root cause of pain and injury in golfers. At Integrated Rehab and Performance Center, we check all mobility, stability and global range of motion available to the golfer and work to improve on the most crucial missing markers.