Yudu - sportEX medicine - 1999-2010

PATIENT ADVICE Functional rehabilitation exercise

DYNAMIC STRETCHING EXERCISES Calf stretch Face the wall keeping your right leg behind you. With your right leg straight and your heel on the ground, lean forward into the wall until a stretch is felt in the right calf. With your left leg in front of you, perform a pendulum from right to left. This will pronate and supinate your right foot as the calf is being stretched, the same motion the foot will go through during the golf swing. As you can see, this is not a ballistic calf stretch but a dynamic stretch during a static hold. Perform 30 swings and repeat with opposite leg.

Hamstring stretch With your right leg on a chair or bench, hinge forward from the hips until a stretch is felt in the right hamstring. Roll your right foot left and right (make a windshield wiper with your big toe) while holding the stretch. This will stretch the medial and lateral attachments of the hamstring through the movement they travel in the golf swing. Do not bounce forward or perform a ballistic stretch on the hamstring. Perform 30 rotations and repeat with opposite leg.

Trunk rotation In order to enhance performance and reduce the likelihood of low back pain, sit on a chair. You may find it easier to face the back of the chair and straddle it. Then rotate to one side working towards attaining a 90 degree shoulder turn (trunk rotation). Then rotate in the opposite direction aiming to get the same amount of rotation in both directions. When this exercise is per- formed in standing (the position frequently used by golfers), it allows contribution from the joints of the lower limb which is not desirable and which sitting limits.

LOW BACK/HIP STABILISATION EXERCISES These exercises are performed in an upright, functional position with a single leg stance. The upper body remains fixed (shoulders square to attachment) to isolate the hips from the shoulders. For maximum benefit, pelvic floor muscles are tightened.

Extension quadrant ■ Hook the tubing to a door or pulley system just below waist height

■ Hook tubing to right hip ■ Rotate in a full circle to the right wrapping the tubing around the pelvis (facing the attachment)

■ Holding a long pole/golf club (not shown) with both hands, bend the right knee and tighten pelvic floor muscles

■ Keeping shoulders square, rotate the pelvis to the right as far as possible (concentric contraction)

■ Hold for a count a two (isometric contraction) ■ Slowly return to maximum left rotation (eccentric contraction)

■ Complete 10-15 repetitions, then repeat with left knee bent ■ Progress to holding the long pole with one arm, then no arms ■ Perform same exercise with tubing attached to left hip, rotat- ing in a full circle to the left

Flexion quadrant ■ Hook the tubing to a door or pulley system just below waist height

■ Hook tubing to right hip ■ Rotate one and a half turns to the left wrapping the tubing around the pelvis (facing away from attachment)

■ Holding a long pole with both hands, bend the right knee and tighten pelvic floor muscles

■ Keeping shoulders square, rotate the pelvis to the left as far as possible (concentric contraction)

■ Hold for a count of two (isometric contraction) ■ Slowly return to maximum right rotation (eccentric contrac- tion)

■ Complete 10-15 repetitions, then repeat with left knee bent ■ Progress to holding a long pole with one arm, then no arms ■ Perform same exercise with tubing attached to the left hip, rotating one and a half turns to the right

UPPER BODY STABILISATION EXERCISE This exercise is performed in an upright, functional position. A loop to be placed over one shoulder is formed at one end of the tubing. The pelvis remains fixed (hips square to attachment) to isolate the upper body from the pelvis. For maximum benefit, pelvic floor muscles are tightened.

Shoulder quadrant ■ Hook the tubing to a door or pulley system at head height

■ Put the loop in the tubing over the right shoulder

■ Rotate in a full circle to the right wrapping the tubing around the upper chest but beneath each arm

■ Assume the golf address position while tightening pelvic floor muscles

■ Raising the arms, squeeze the shoul- der blades together. The upper torso should move as one unit

■ Keeping the hips square to the attachment, rotate only the shoulders to the right (concentric contraction)

■ Hold for a count of two (isometric contraction) ■ Slowly return to maximum left should rotation (eccentric con- traction) with no hip movement

■ Complete 10-15 repetitions ■ Perform with loop over the left shoulder, rotating a full circle to the left.

The information contained in this article is intended as general guidance and information only and should not be relied upon as a basis for planning individual medical care or as a substitute for special- ist medical advice in each individual case. To the extent permissable by law, the publisher, editors and contributors accept no liability for any loss, injury or damage howsoever incurred (including negli- gence) as a consequence, whether directly or indirectly, of the use of any person of the contents of this article.