Cayman boasts year-round sunshine and well-kept courses boasting stunning views. But if you want to stay healthy and get the most out of your golf game, it starts with your mobility.
Golfers can attest to the difficulty of mastering the sport both from technical and physical aspects.
If you're finding your range of motion restricts your play, check out the Titleist Performance Institute, which is based in California and has trained hundreds of the world's top golfers. The TPI has created a program for medical professionals to work with elite, amateur and recreational golfers to maximise their performance on the golf course. It aims to identify and address mobility restrictions that are negatively impacting an individual’s golf game, and/or contributing to pain and discomfort when playing the game of golf.
It involves taking a golfer through 16 testing procedures to identify exactly where in the body a physical limitation or movement restriction lies. Once identified, the idea is to correct them through physiotherapy techniques and tailored exercise prescription.
The TPI screening process is beneficial for all ages and skill levels, whether you are a young amateur golfer struggling with controlling your golf swing, an avid golfer looking to improve your performance or a senior golfer with joint stiffness that is restricting your golf swing. Overall, the goal is to enjoy the game of golf to its fullest.
The most prevalent areas for golfers to experience pain is their low back, neck and shoulders. It is often due to poor mobility in the joints above or below the area the golfer is experiencing pain.
Ronnie Power is a Physiotherapist at Align wellness studio in Camana Bay, and is a TPI-certified medical professional treating golfers through the TPI Program for six years. For further information on the TPI program, contact Ronnie at ronnie.power@align.ky or call Align Wellness Studio at +1.345.640.5050.
This article was originally published in the September/October 2022 print edition of Camana Bay Times.
Easy exercises to improve mobility
Hip mobility
Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet slightly wider than hip width. Rotate your hip joint to let you knee fall out to the side then back in towards your opposite ankle. Repeat this movement 10 times on each leg.
Thoracic spine mobility
Sitting, clasp your fingers together at the base of your neck, then arch backwards while pointing your elbow towards the ceiling. Arch back until the pressure is felt through your mid back. Repeat this movement 10 times.
Shoulder mobility
Place your palm and forearm against the wall with your elbow bent at 90 degrees, then rotate your body away from the wall until a stretch is felt across the front of your shoulder. Hold this position for 30 seconds.