If you’ve tried to book a tee time in the Hampton Roads area recently, you’ll have noticed a lot more people are playing golf. People are discovering a love for golf all over the country, in fact, the National Golf Foundation called 2020 “a year of resurgence” for the golf industry. Whether you’ve picked up the sport during the pandemic or are a lifetime lover of golf, it’s important to learn how to play the game safely and to the best of your ability. If you’ve ever experienced an injury on the golf course, it’s a good idea to talk to a physical therapist with a Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) certification.
Physical therapists with a TPI certification specialize in the rehabilitation of golf-related injuries. They look at a golfer’s stability, mobility, and strength. Additionally, those with a TPI certification will be able to screen for 16 movements that play a role in a golf swing, isolating the characteristics that could impact your ability swing a golf club efficiently. Although golf swings are a relatively fluid motion, there’s a lot going on in your body that a physical therapist can unpack. So many parts are moving at the same time, from the arm and ankle all the way up to the cervical spine. Those with a TPI certification have an increased understanding of the way your body functions during a golf swing. Recognizing what is happening to your joints during the swing will help your physical therapist advise you on what physical limitations may need to be addressed in order to increase your control. Additionally, physical therapists can work preventatively to adjust your golf game before injuries happen, identifying problem areas like an inadequate range of motion or lack of strength or mobility.
Although golf is a relatively low-intensity sport, injuries can happen. Those with TPI certifications can also account for certain deficits or dysfunction in your golf performance that can come from golf injuries or other health conditions. By learning to address these deficits, patients can play golf at a higher level than before. For example, someone with an inadequate range of motion can slide through the ball as opposed to rotating through the hip, which could cause them to lose a little distance in their swing.
“If you’re trying to enhance your performance and you don’t hit the ball as far as you would like or you don’t have the mechanics of the golf swing you would like, that’s when someone would benefit from seeing a physical therapist with a TPI certification,” said Jordan Lee PT, DPT of TPMG Physical Therapy.
Both professional and recreational golfers can benefit from seeing a physical therapist with a TPI certification. Golf professionals, fitness professionals, and health care professionals all address a different aspect of your golf performance using a TPI certification. A physical therapist will address any medical issues and then once you’ve adjusted the compensations your body made to your golf game, you can return to a golf instructor and fitness trainer to address other areas of your golf game. These three umbrellas of care work together to complete your circle of care and get you the help you need to maximize your golf game.
As we age, people tend to decline in terms of strength and mobility, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Anyone trying to enhance their golf performance should seek out a TPI professional to address any pain or dysfunction. If you’re experiencing issues with your golf game, consider speaking to a TPMG TPI-certified physical therapist today.
About Jordan Lee, PT, DPT
As a certified physical therapist, Jordan Lee, PT, DPT, has experience treating sports medicine, post-op rehabilitation, and outpatient orthopedic patients. As a provider, he is fully invested in creating a therapeutic alliance with each patient and providing exceptional care. At TPMG Physical Therapy, he treats patients of all ages for orthopedic/sports medicine conditions. He performs treatment interventions such as dry needling, manual therapy, and spinal manipulation, along with therapeutic exercises that optimize movement and improve the quality of life of his patients. He has special interests in treating rotational athletes such as golfers, as well as foot and ankle pathologies. Jordan practices active communication by listening to patient concerns and guiding them in the right direction in terms of their recovery.
