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!)
Being proactive vs. reactive with tax planning will have a tremendous impact on profitability and long-term wealth creation. Keep in mind, I am not a CPA and I am not giving tax advice. Rather, I’m passing on information that I learned as a practice owner and now implement in my financial planning practice. While not an exhaustive list, here are a few items to contemplate in 2025 as you watch the dollars in your practice.
Part 2 of this three-part article on recogizing and diagnosing delayed-onset motor-vehicle acident (MVA) injuries in clinical practice discusses traumatic Schmorl's nodes, post-concussion syndrome and posttraummatic syrinx. Part 1 covered traumatic subdural hematoma, stroke due to MVA and traumatic central disc herniation.
Research now shows that limited hip internal rotation can significantly contribute to low back pain. This may be caused by hip joint variants, but more commonly by trauma causing adhesion of the hip joint capsule or even prolonged sitting, which overactivates the hip flexors and abductors, and underactivates the hip extensors and adductors.
