Hey NUHS,
Last week I got a pretty awesome text I wanted to share. It was
from my old high school golf teammate, Kim Donovan, who was an All
American on the Duke Women's Golf team. Kim said, "OK, I've decided
I'm going to make a push for the LPGA tour IF you get me out of
pain."
YYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
Seriously, best text ever. Why? It's been my childhood dream to
become a professional golfer and make the tour. My dad and I used
to always joke about moving to Florida when I made it and playing
golf all over the world. Fast forward: I didn't make it...as a
golfer...BUT, could I make it as a treating physician? Yes, I
believe I can.
TIP: You interested in treating golfers? At any level? Check out
Titleist Performance Institute Seminars.
Golf Seminars and Free Info: http://www.mytpi.com/
So what can chiropractors do for golfers?
Here's my thought process for a high level golfer who seeks both
pain elimination and increased performance... (After watching her
swing)
Initial Swing Evaluation: Searching for the Cause of Her
Pain
*Patient appears to lack anterior stability through the hitting
zone and into the follow-through that allows the lumbar spine to
hyperlordose and jam the facets. I also imagine there is some lack
of hip internal rotation causing the lumbar spine to get chewed up
into excess rotation through the swing causing pain and
inflammation locally.
*Initial Rehab and Functional Corrections will focus on 3
things:
1. Core Stability: This will stabilize the excess movements
through the lumbar spine and reduce the risk for further injury and
progress treatment faster and hold treatment pain relief longer
through the round by building endurance.
- Side Plank hold until failure
- Dead Bug
- Bird Dog
- Curl Up
- Glute Bridge
- Glute Med Walk with Band
2. Hip Mobility: Increasing hip internal rotation. (If
congenital antroverted hips, may need to flare out lead foot to get
this.)
- Side Line Hip Internal Rotation with Band
- Tri Planar Hip mobility to open up all ROM
3. Thoracic Mobility:
- Kneeling Thoracic Rotation - 2x sets 10 reps each side
- Cat Camel 10-15 reps focusing on only thoracic mobility
*Progression into performance once stability and endurance
have been established
- Chop and Lift
- Russian Twists with Med Ball
- Advanced Ball Work
- Kettle Ball Swings
- Tri Planar and Single Leg Glute Firing in all Planes
- Farmer Walks with Different Weights For Side Bracing
Endurance
All of these will improve with physical treatment as I work on
fixations, soft tissue adhesions, facial train hypertonicity, and
the rehab will improve her instability. I will also look to balance
her adrenal/thyroid axis for ligamentous integrity and inflammation
levels. Supplements, homeopathy and emotional work will be used on
an as-needed basis through physical exam, history and manual muscle
testing. Restoring normal breathing patterns, abdominal bracing,
and increasing intra-abdominal pressure with DNS and Triple Flexion
positions is definitely in order for lasting relief, stability and
performance.
Prognosis and Goals:
- Pain Relief: 1-2 weeks
- Rehab Level 1: 2 weeks
- Advanced Rehab: 2-4 weeks with ongoing RE-eval for increased
performance, variety and goals.
Well, that was just a window into my head on what I was thinking
while treating a Division 1 athlete and hopefully a professional
athlete soon! Chiropractic has a lot of incredible tools, my
friends! LEARN THEM! You can never have too many tricks in your
pocket for the tough patient that comes along.
Stay Sharp,
CC