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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008
By Becky LaPlante
Golfers, always looking for ways to improve their game, most often turn to equipment for help. Since golf technology is always improving, most players think that the key to a great golf game is what’s in the bag. But experts at Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin say the body is the most important tool in golf.
“You can spend all kinds of money on clubs and equipment, but if you’re physically not in proper shape, that can cause some problems,” says Jeff Wilkens, physical therapist at Froedtert.
So in order to help golfers focus on improving and enhancing the physical performance of their bodies, a team of specialists at Froedtert’s Sports Medicine Center have developed the multifaceted Golf Swing Program. The program, designed for golfers of all ages and skill levels, is customized to fit the needs of any golfer.
The first step in the program is a physical evaluation of the golfer. Wilkens and other physical therapists or athletic trainers use hands-on physical activities to test the strength, muscle flexibility, balance and core stability of participants. Wilkens says a common weakness is in the core – muscles of the abdominals, hips and glutes – and that’s particularly troubling since all of a golfer’s power is generated in this area.
“Abdominal strengthening is something that almost everybody needs,” Wilkens says. “I have yet to find a golfer that hasn’t needed some of that.”
Once those areas are tested, the golfer is hooked up to a state-of-the-art motion analysis system, which gives a 360-degree, 3-D view of his golf swing. Forty-five reflective markers are placed on various points of the body, and the golfer is put in a field surrounded by eight infrared cameras which pick up the reflective markers. While going through a series of swings, the infrared video is captured, and the end result is a skeleton-like wire frame video of the individual and his golf swing, which can be viewed from any angle.
“It allows us to basically look at the swing from any direction, at any speed throughout their motion to kind of analyze how they are moving their body, what their posture is like and where their potential physical breakdowns might be,” Wilkens says.
Also at this time, a high-speed video analysis is made of the front and side views of the golfer’s swing. The participant receives a DVD of this video, which can be slowed down and viewed at millisecond intervals.
After the evaluation and video, Wilkens is able to develop a treatment program that should help improve the golfer’s swing and reduce injury. Stretching, Wilkens says, is a key component of the program, because most people have significant tightness in certain areas of their body, and that tightness affects their position or posture. Improving flexibility also helps the golfer get into the proper starting position.
The next phase of the treatment plan is to work on dynamic balance and strength activities. Most strengthening exercises are rather simple, using tools like the Thera-Band and stability balls, and some don’t require any equipment. Though the golfer pays for three treatment sessions, the program is geared so people can work on it at home, so the ideal participant should be self-motivated.
“Changes with this aren’t immediate, so you need to work on this for a while,” Wilkens says.
One thing Wilkens stresses is that he is not a golf professional, so he’s not trying to teach a better golf swing. His goal is to work with golfers to put their bodies in the proper position and make sure they have enough strength and flexibility to perform the necessary movements of the swing in an efficient and safe manner, all while minimizing injury and improving performance.
Participants are able to purchase one of three packages, which range in price from $150 to $350. For more information or to sign up for the Golf Swing Program, call (800) 272-3666.
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