The Biomechanics of the Modern Golf Swing: Implications for Lower Back Injuries
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REVIEW ARTICLE
The Biomechanics of the Modern Golf Swing: Implications for Lower Back Injuries Michael H. Cole1
•
Paul N. Grimshaw2
Ó Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2015
Abstract The modern golf swing is a complex and asymmetrical movement that places an emphasis on restricting pelvic turn while increasing thorax rotation during the backswing to generate higher clubhead speeds at impact. Increasing thorax rotation relative to pelvic rotation preloads the trunk muscles by accentuating their length and allowing them to use the energy stored in their elastic elements to produce more power. As the thorax and pelvis turn back towards the ball during the downswing, more skilled golfers are known to laterally slide their pelvis toward the target, which further contributes to final clubhead speed. However, despite the apparent performance benefits associated with these sequences, it has been argued that the lumbar spine is incapable of safely accommodating the forces they produce. This notion supports a link between the repeated performance of the golf swing and the development of golf-related low back injuries. Of the complaints reported by golfers, low back injuries continue to be the most prevalent, but the mechanism of these injuries is still poorly understood. This review highlights that there is a paucity of research directly evaluating the apparent link between the modern golf swing and golf-related low back pain. Furthermore, there has been a general lack of consensus within the literature with respect to the methods used to objectively assess the golf swing and the methods used to derived common outcome measures. Future research would benefit from a clear set of guidelines to help reduce the variability between studies. & Michael H. Cole [email protected] 1
School of Exercise Science, Australian Catholic University, Virginia, P.O. Box 456, Brisbane, QLD 4014, Australia
2
School of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Key Points The modern golf swing is often promoted over the more relaxed classic swing, as it is believed to utilise elastic energy stored in skeletal muscles to increase power. The current literature provides conflicting evidence regarding the potential performance benefits associated with increasing muscle stretch during the modern golf swing. While this emphasis on increasing muscle and joint loads is thought to contribute to golf-related low back injuries, there is currently limited evidence to support this notion.
1 Introduction The golf swing is a precise movement comprised of a complex sequence of events that are ideally brought together at the point of impact to meet the main requirements of an effective golf swing: distance and direction [1–6]. Assuming that a golfer strikes the ball accurately, the distance that the ball travels will be a function of the velocity of the clubhead at the point of impact; however, variations in launch angle and spin resulting from different club use can also contribute to this factor [1, 7–12
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