STRETCH YOUR HAMSTRINGS FOR A PAIN-FREE SWING
Bob Forman
Certified Golf Fitness Instructor
MS, Exercise Physiology
Tight hamstrings, the muscles in the back of the upper thigh, play a key role in lower back discomfort and pain, and can take away from the efficiency of your golf swing.
Here’s a simple test to determine if your hamstrings are tight. Place your feet together and, keeping the knees locked, slowly reach down toward the floor with your fingertips. Don’t strain, just go as far as you can till you feel the stretch in the back of the legs. Now bend the knees slightly before you stand back up as this will take the pressure off the back muscles. Keep this in mind the next time you bend over to pick something up off the floor! Could you touch the floor without bending the knees? If so, you pass, congratulations! If you can’t touch the floor, your hamstrings are tight and you may be at greater risk for back discomfort and a reduction in hip mobility. The further away from the floor you were, the tighter the hamstrings, and the greater the risk for back and mobility issues.
Why the hamstrings, after all they’re in the legs, not the back. What’s the connection? The hamstrings, a tonic or postural muscle, attach themselves to the hip bone from underneath and have a tendency to shorten if not stretched, like when you sit most of the day. If this occurs, over a period of time the tightened hamstrings will pull the hip down and back, rotating the hip bone posteriorly. As this occurs, the natural curve in the lower back (lumbar curve) straightens out, known as flat-back posture. Now this may sound like something good, but it’s not. The curve in the lumbar area must exist, as is, for everything to function normally. If there is any deviation of this normal curve, the discs (those jelly donut structures in-between each vertebrae) will get pinched, increasing the potential for wear and tear, and an enhanced rate of degeneration of the disc itself. This will ultimately reduce the space between two vertebrae, compromising the nerve root that extends out through that space, or foramen, causing pain and discomfort. This could also cause the disc itself to rupture out into the opening and press against the nerve root, causing pain and discomfort. In either case, the discomfort felt in and/or down the leg(s) is called sciatica.
Long before that occurs, however, you’ll be susceptible for low back muscle pulls and aches. Once the hip bone rotates downward, as a result of the tight hamstrings pulling on it, the low back muscles become taut as they are attached to the hip bone from above. The simplest of tasks, like picking up a stamp off the floor or reaching for the phone, can strain the low back and create both acute and chronic havoc.
For golfers, this condition hastens the degree of post-round low back stiffness and injury due to the explosive nature of the one-sided golf swing. The rotational component of the swing is also negatively affected as tight hamstrings may not allow the freedom of movement desired in the hip area. This could detract from the efficiency of the swing and rob you of the ability to generate power and distance.
To prevent and or alleviate this situation, a regular stretching program is warranted. Concentrate on stretches that isolate the back of the thigh for best results. For example, sit on a solid coffee table or place two armless chairs side-by-side and sit on one and place one leg up on the other. Let the foot hang off the edge of the table/chair. Keeping the knee down and the back straight, slowly reach down the leg with your hands, hinging from the hip as you bend forward, till a gentle stretch is felt behind the thigh and/or knee. Keep your chin up. Don’t let your chin touch your chest as this will place an unwanted stretch on the back muscles. Repeat with the other leg.
Each stretch should be held for at least 30 seconds at a time, with no bouncing. The best time to work on flexibility is after the body has been warmed, where the muscles will be a little more pliable. After an exercise session is ideal as is after a warm bath or shower. Remember to breathe normally whenever you stretch.
The road to low back stability and a better golf swing can be a smooth one. Be patient. Try the stretching routine for awhile and you should feel some improvement. If after awhile you don’t, consult a trained practitioner. Once your back does improve, though, you must keep up the stretching routine as a preventative measure. Relief is in your hands, or for that matter, your legs.
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