MUSCULOSKELETAL PROFILING IN GOLF

enhance performance (a much greater incentive than trying to prevent injury!).

When applicable and relevant, resistance cord (eg. cliniband, ther- aband) is used in the patterns of the swing: ■ from address position to top of back-swing and vice versa ■ from address position to end of follow-through and vice versa, using both arms together or the right or left arms only.

This enables the players to perform resistance work for all aspects of the golf swing in a synchronous way, taking advantage of the physiological benefits of using PNF patterns. For elite and full- developed golfers, these exercises have been modified into a stretch-shortening/plyometric scheme of exercises in order to increase power during the swing.

An exercise CD, demonstrating the exercises and postures to be practised, has recently been produced for the players. This aug- ments the CDs of the player’s technique being produced by the coaches.

CONCLUSION Players who have been involved in the musculoskeletal profiling and exercise programme from early teenage years are more proficient at many of the musculoskeletal tests than most of the senior interna- tional players who have only become exposed to similar support in the last 3-4 years. Only time will tell if the programme will improve the chances of the junior internationals making their way in the professional game. Certainly players have begun to realise that many of the exercises suggested to them have improved their golf- ing performance, which has increased their interest and compliance. Similarly, many coaches have requested that the physiotherapists have greater input into training programmes.

THE AUTHOR ■ Lynn Booth is a chartered physiotherapist with an MSc in Sports Therapy and Sports Injury. She is Chairman of the British Olympic Association’s Physiotherapy Committee and attended the 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games with the GB Women’s Hockey Team and the 1996, 2000 and (hopefully) 2004 Olympic Games as Chief Physiotherapist for TeamGB. Within golf, Lynn works with the nation- al teams of the English Ladies’ Golf Association and the Ladies’ Golf Union (Great Britain + Ireland squad) and with four of the Regional Boys’ squads and the Boys’ School of Excellence for the English Golf Union. Lynn has worked for the PGA on their Professional Development Programme, presenting in both Britain and Germany and has given presentations on physiotherapy and golf to sports medicine groups within Britain.

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