Want to improve your golf game from the comfort of your own home? Discover how with our comprehensive guide to understanding and testing the essential flexibility for an outstanding swing!
1. Hip Joint:
- Hip Flexion: Sit on the edge of a chair with your feet flat on the ground. Lift one knee towards your chest as high as you can. Required range of motion for a golfer: approximately 110-120 degrees.
- Hip Extension: While standing, kick one leg back as far as you can without arching your lower back. Required range of motion for a golfer: approximately 10-15 degrees.
- Hip Abduction: Stand and lift your leg out to the side as high as you can. Required range of motion for a golfer: approximately 30-50 degrees.
- Hip Adduction: Stand and cross one leg in front of the other as far as you can. Required range of motion for a golfer: approximately 30 degrees.
- Hip Internal Rotation: Sit on the edge of a chair with one foot on the opposite knee. Gently press down on your raised knee. Required range of motion for a golfer: approximately 30-40 degrees.
- Hip External Rotation: Lie on your back with your feet flat on the ground and your knees bent. Let your knees drop out to the sides. Required range of motion for a golfer: approximately 40-60 degrees.
2. Spine:
- Thoracic and Lumbar Rotation: Sit up straight in a chair with your arms crossed over your chest. Twist your upper body from side to side. Required range of motion for a golfer: approximately 45-50 degrees for each direction (right and left).
- Thoracic and Lumbar Flexion and Extension: Stand up straight, bend forward and try to touch your toes (Flexion). Stand up straight again and bend backward as far as possible (Extension). Required range of motion for a golfer: Flexion approximately 40-50 degrees, extension approximately 20-35 degrees.
3. Shoulder Joint:
- Shoulder Flexion, Extension, Abduction, and Adduction: Stand up straight. Raise your arm forward (Flexion), backward (Extension), to the side (Abduction), and across your body (Adduction). Required ranges of motion for a golfer: Flexion, Abduction 180 degrees; Extension, Adduction approximately 50 degrees.
- Shoulder Internal and External Rotation: Stand with your elbow at a 90-degree angle and move your forearm towards (Internal) and away (External) from your body. Required ranges of motion for a golfer: Internal approximately 70-90 degrees; External approximately 90-110 degrees.
4. Elbow Joint:
- Elbow Flexion and Extension: Extend your arm out and try to touch your shoulder with the same hand (Flexion). Then straighten your arm (Extension). Required range of motion for a golfer: Flexion approximately 140-150 degrees, extension 0 degree (full extension).
5. Wrist Joint:
- Wrist Flexion and Extension: Extend your arm out and bend your wrist towards your body (Flexion) and away from your body (Extension).
- Wrist Radial and Ulnar Deviation: Extend your arm out and move your wrist side to side (towards thumb: Radial Deviation, towards little finger: Ulnar Deviation). Required range of motion for a golfer: Flexion approximately 80 degrees, extension approximately 70 degrees, radial deviation approximately 20 degrees, ulnar deviation approximately 30 degrees.
