Do you love a good game of golf? Golfing is a great way to get some exercise while enjoying the outdoors. It is also a great way to improve strength, flexibility, and range of motion in your trunk and hips.
However, golf can also lead to some undesirable injuries if you are not careful. Fortunately, there are some helpful flexibility and mobility exercises you can do to prepare yourself for the game and decrease your risk of sustaining an injury.
For more information on how we can help you increase your skills and prepare for your game, contact Triumph Physical Therapy in University Place, WA. today.
Exercises to increase trunk and hip mobility with your golf swing
Here are some of the best exercises you can do at home to help prevent golfing injuries! If you ever feel unsure about your ability to perform these exercises safely, contact a physical therapist for help.
- Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch.
- Phase 1. Begin with your left knee on the ground and right leg in a lunge position. holding your golf club in both hands, raise it overhead and hold for 45 seconds (do not dump into the low back or lunge too far forward).
- Phase 2. Rest your right arm. Hold the golf club upright and gently bend to the side, reaching up and over with your left arm. Feel the stretch through your left hip flexor and psoas muscle (stomach).
- Hold for 45 seconds on each side. Complete 2-3 sets depending on your mobility deficits.
- Kneeling Hamstring Stretch.
- Place your golf club under your kneeling leg. Keep your hips facing forward with your knee bent, toes up toward your nose, chest up, and back straight.
- Gently shift your hips backwards. Feel the stretch in your right hamstring.
- Hold for 45 seconds on each side. Complete 2-3 sets depending on your mobility deficits.
- Seated Piriformis Stretch.
- Begin by sitting in your chair with an upright posture. Cross your right ankle over your left knee and gently hinge forward at your waist. Keep your back straight and chest up for a better stretch. Feel the stretch in the glut, hamstring, or piriformis.
- Modification for knee pain: begin by slouching back in a chair. Cross your right ankle over your left knee. Using your right hand, gently press down on your right knee to open your hip. Feel the stretch in the glut, hamstring, or piriformis.
- Hold for 45 seconds on each side. Complete 2-3 sets depending on your mobility deficits.
- Supine Twist.
- Begin by lying on your back with both knees bent. Cross your right leg over your left leg and open your arms out to a T, letting your legs fall to the left. Feel the stretch along your right lower back and mid back.
- Hold for 45 seconds on each side. Complete 2-3 sets depending on your mobility deficits.
- Spiderman Stretch with Rotation.
- Lunge forward with your right leg. Keep your right hand on the inside of your right foot. Gently rotate open to the left. Replace your right hand with your left hand and rotate open to the right.
- Modification as needed: keep your back knee on the ground for improved balance or mobility deficits.
- Tick Tock Trunk Rotations.
- Phase 1. Begin with your club behind your back and arms resting on the club in a T position. Gently bend side-to-side, moving through your middle and lower back.
- Phase 2. Keeping your hands resting on the club, rotate through your trunk. Keep your hips facing forward and shoulders aligned.
- Phase 3. Hinge forward at the hips, keeping your chest up (but not over-strained). Rotate through your trunk.
- Complete this exercise 10 times in each direction.
- Thoracic Extension over Foam Roller.
- Phase 1. Lie on your back with your hips on the ground. Place your hands behind your head and gently bend backward, allowing your head and neck to rest in your hands. You may hear some snaps, crackles, and pops.
- Phase 2. Complete the above extension and gently rotate open to the right, then to the left.
- Complete 10 extensions/rotations at 3 different levels of the thoracic spine.
Call our clinic today for more information
Whether you’re golfing for fun or for your sport, we hope these seven flexibility and mobility exercises will be helpful as you begin your journey to increasing your trunk and hip function. This will help ensure that your body is performing at its optimal level while you’re on the golf course!
Call Triumph Physical Therapy in University Place, WA. today for an appointment, and let us help you improve your golf swing and sports performance.
