Good footwork is essential to playing better golf - but what is good footwork, and how can it be evaluated and, when necessary, treated?
Good footwork begins with feet that are fit, functional and mechanically sound. The feet are designed to point straight ahead; each foot is designed to be directly beneath the knee. When the feet are out of positional alignment, unwanted torque occurs in the gait muscles, beginning in the hips. In this scenario, the body must introduce compensating motion with every step.
Pre-existing mechanical problems with the feet can be compounded tenfold when playing golf. The full golf swing requires the transfer of body weight from back foot to front foot. The feet must be able to receive the weight transfer without compromise. Examples of detrimental foot faults are excessive pronation or supination.
Supination and pronation influence the stability of the pivot during the backswing. Seventy-five percent of the body weight transfers directly into the quadriceps of the back leg at the top of the backswing. The back foot must be able to support this weight transfer, then push the weight to the front foot during the downswing.
Additionally, a golfer walks an average of three to five miles over a period of four to five hours while completing 18 holes of golf. With conditions of supination, pronation, bunions or hammertoes beneath the ankle, the golfer risks chronic instability when attempting to transfer the weight during the golf swing or walk without compromise.
Recommendations
Many diversified adjusting techniques work well to reduce subluxations in the ankles and feet. There also are several excellent seminars to choose from if your technique needs some polishing.
Orthopedic appliances (supportive shoe inserts) are recommended for any golf patient diagnosed with chronic mechanical instability of the knee, ankle or feet.
(Note: Many professional golfers now use orthotics. One study reports that regular use of orthotics will increase the player's club head velocity an average of 3.5 mph, which translates to an additional 10-15 yards of distance off the tee!)
Because they have yet to pass national legislation protecting the chiropractic profession, Japanese DCs are in a similar situation that U.S. DCs faced. We were fortunate enough to be able to pass chiropractic licensure state by state. The DCs in Japan must accomplish this nationally, which has proved to be an extremely difficult task. And in spite of their efforts, Japanese DCs are currently faced with two chiropractic professions.
This article focuses on nine severe injuries that are generally not diagnosable until the third to fourth week following the date of injury, including how to diagnose these severe injuries. The discovery of any of these injuries early can make a significant difference in the case outcome.
There has long been an attempt by those who are not legitimate doctors of chiropractic to usurp the title of chiropractor from those who have earned their degree from an accredited chiropractic program. This generally happens in countries where the local doctors of chiropractic have yet to pass legislation requiring a degree from an accredited institution. The result is essentially two chiropractic professions. Nowhere is this danger more pronounced than in Japan.
