• Prolonged sitting and standing with poor postural alignment increases a person’s risk of upper crossed syndrome, rounded shoulders, and tight pectoral muscles.
• Fortunately, there are exercises that can help loosen tight shoulder muscles, increase flexibility, and reduce upper back discomfort.
• In this blog, CEO of Golfstretch Adam Swanson demonstrates an exercise called an assisted lunge with shoulder flexion to help with these issues.

The exercise I’m about to share with you may help activate the muscles in your upper back, ultimately increasing shoulder mobility and range-of-motion. Sounds pretty great for your golf game, right? It gets better. For those of you who work at a desk all day, this movement can also help reduce some of the discomfort in your upper back by strengthening your shoulder, neck, and pectoral muscles.

Today, it seems to be a common occurrence for people to develop back problems such as upper crossed syndrome, rounded shoulders, and upper and lower back pain from various occupations (i.e. desk jobs, retail work, etc.). This is unfortunate, but there are things that can be done to combat these health problems. Performing a number of back strengthening exercises can help reinforce weak muscle groups, eventually reducing pain and discomfort. For the purpose of this blog, I will be demonstrating an assisted lunge with shoulder flexion while explaining how the exercise benefits upper body issues.

This exercise activates the muscles of the upper body to help with shoulder flexion, which is an important component in your golf swing. The other benefit to this exercise is its incorporation of the lower body. When you lunge backward during this stretch, you’re activating your core, glutes, quads, and hamstrings simultaneously. Ultimately, people who perform this exercise receive a full-body workout when it’s performed with the right intensity.

Assisted Lunge With Shoulder Flexion

For this exercise, you will need access to a functional trainer, or you will need to possess F & T lateral bands or heavy-duty resistance bands. In this video, I utilize a functional trainer. As you can see, I start by wrapping the loop-side of the trainer over my shoulder with my upper arm held in an upward fashion. Notice how my arm is locked in a straight position. Your arm should be high above the shoulder blade, but in line with the rest of your body, as demonstrated in the video.

Take a few steps backward to create space between you and the functional trainer. When you’re ready, keep your right foot planted firmly on the ground and step your left foot backward into a lunge position. While you perform this maneuver, make sure your arm is held in that straight, upward position. You’ll want to repeat this motion about 9 more times for a total of 10 reps.

Next, keep your left foot planted firmly on the ground before stepping your right foot backward into a lunge position. Repeat this motion another 9 times for a total of 10 reps. Feel free to increase the weight in the functional trainer or increase your rep frequency if you want a bit of a challenge.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call me to schedule an appointment. I would be happy to work with you on your golf and fitness goals. Until then, review the video below and let me know what you think of the assisted lunge with shoulder flexion exercise!

Golfstretch is a sports performance and rehabilitation center located in Scottsdale, Arizona. Utilizing a combination of therapies, the team at Golfstretch helps clients achieve their health and fitness goals. To learn more about golf fitness, stretch therapy, corrective exercise, and more, call 480-269-1119 to schedule a consultation today! We look forward to hearing from you!

The advice and information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace or counter a physician’s advice or judgment. Please always consult your physician before taking any advice learned here or in any other educational medical material.

The post Upper Body Shoulder Exercise: Assisted Lunge With Shoulder Flexion appeared first on Golfstretch.

To help improve a person’s golf game at Golfstretch Therapies, I provide them with adequate exercises and stretches to improve their mobility. I will even provide clients with stretches that will be beneficial for their diagnosis if they suffer from some kind of pain-related condition. Stretching is something we advocate at Golfstretch Therapies, but it seems to me there is a common theme in the golf industry to have a specific stretch for a common diagnosis (i.e. back pain).

For instance, I recently read in a well-known golf magazine that if you have back pain you should do three specific stretches (for the purpose of this article, we’ll call them X, Y, and Z) before or after your round to help your pain. As a physician who an area of expertise in musculoskeletal pain and sports performance, I sometimes cringe when I see these articles. If you go back to my previous statements, I said, “I will even provide clients with stretches that will be beneficial for their diagnosis if they suffer from some kind of pain-related condition.”

The key to this statement is that the person in pain actually received an adequate exam from a licensed professional and had a diagnosis for their pain. Simply stating that stretches X, Y, and Z will help an extremely broad term such as “back pain” without a correct diagnosis for why the person has pain is not only ridiculous, but possibly dangerous.

One of the great things about the game of golf is that it allows us to play well into our middle-aged years and beyond. Many of my patients and stretching clientele are currently 60+ years of age. This makes generalized stretching advice for these players comparable to playing Russian roulette. The older population in this sport is bound to have musculoskeletal pain (with back pain being the highest % of pain and injury in golf). Since this pain is so common, many people want to jump on the marketing bandwagon and be “the expert” on what stretches will help your low back pain during golf.

The problem is the following list also causes back pain in this same demographic of people: vascular disease, arthritis, metastatic cancer, prostate disease, tumors, pancreatitis, gallstones, sciatica, disc herniation and the list goes on! Every single golfer that comes into my office that is on a stretching or strengthening plan for his or her golf game has already received a history, exam, and consultation prior to being put on that routine.

If they are cleared of any possible diagnosis that would require a triage of care, then they can begin treatment. Or, if they do have an alternative problem, a referral can be made upfront without jeopardizing the person’s own health by prolonging treatment initiation. But, I have to say stretching out your prostatitis or malignancy will probably not cure your back pain! It also should be noted that even if the pain is found to have a muscle or joint origin, there should never be a cookie-cutter approach like the magazine stated. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy. If, after the exam, it is deemed that the pain is truly muscle and joint-related, I will always help the client progress using the correct protocols for what they have been diagnosed with.

Furthermore, almost all of my athletes looking to improve their game will receive a full upper-quadrant and lower-quadrant functional screen to tease out any physical limitations they might have (i.e. Titleist Performance Institute-style screens). This will further guide individualized care for that person. I wanted this piece to serve as a reminder for those out there giving advice and also receiving advice when it comes to knowing their own pain. Generalizing can be dangerous and no diagnosis should receive a cookie-cutter answer like the one I saw in a widely read golf magazine. Getting a correct diagnosis from a physician or licensed professional first should always be the gold standard of care.

The post Aching Back: Stretch It Out? appeared first on Golfstretch.

• Studies show that having more shoulder flexion can help improve a golfer’s swing.
• Even if the end goal isn’t to improve your golf game, having a full range of motion in your shoulders can help prevent injury and increase flexibility for daily living.
• In this blog, CEO of Golfstretch Adam Swanson demonstrates an upper body exercise to improve shoulder flexion and shoulder extension.

For the trainers at the Titleist Performance Institute, golfers who are serious about improving their golf game typically work hard to correct any handicaps that may exist in their swing. In order to rectify these handicaps, a golfer may need to undergo a series of tests to help identify any pre-existing physical ailments.

One test that is performed on amateur and professional golfers often is the Lat Test. This golf screening test helps trainers determine the level of shoulder flexion an athlete has and if there are any handicaps that could result in an injury.

For those unfamiliar with the Lat Test, it is a simple test that can be performed in the comfort of your own home. Although it is simple and easy to do, it can help identify a number of potential shoulder flexion and extension issues. First, you’ll need to stand against a wall before slowly sliding down to a squat position. Your legs should make a 90-degree angle with your feet directly below your knees. Make sure your lower back is flat against the wall.

To begin this test, your arms should be kept straight at your sides with your thumbs pointing forward. When you’re ready, raise both arms over your head, keeping them straight as they go up. If you can touch the wall behind you with your thumbs without bending your elbows or arching your lower back, then you have full range of motion in your shoulders. If you begin to experience pain at any point during the test, stop immediately and either take note of your symptoms or inform your golf trainer.

The lats are one of the largest muscles groups, so pain could greatly impact your golf game and quality of life. That’s where this exercise may come in handy. I see many golfers with poor shoulder flexion and extension, and I understand how these discrepancies can impact their golf swing. To help improve your flexibility and range of motion in the shoulders, consider adding this exercise, which is called “I’s On The Ball,” into your workout routine. For this exercise, you’ll need a 55-65 cm stability ball.

Start by lying flat on the stability ball, situating it on the center of your chest or below the chest on your core, whichever is more comfortable. Keeping your arms straight and your thumbs pointed upward, pull your arms and shoulders backward until they reach maximum flexion. Repeat this move 10-15 times. While you’re in this position, make sure you squeeze your quads, glutes, and core.

After completing this exercise, you can begin the shoulder extension portion by moving your arms forward. Repeat this motion 10-15 times with your quads, glutes, and core fully engaged. Make sure you complete this exercise “as is” before adding weights. If you’re worried this exercise won’t be enough to improve your shoulder’s range of motion, call me today to set-up an appointment at Golfstretch. I will develop a comprehensive golf fitness plan to help you get back on track with little to no pain. Call me today!

Golfstretch is a sports performance and rehabilitation center located in Scottsdale, Arizona. Utilizing a combination of therapies, the team at Golfstretch helps clients achieve their health and fitness goals. To learn more about golf fitness, stretch therapy, corrective exercise, and more, call 480-269-1119 to schedule a consultation today! We look forward to hearing from you!

The advice and information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace or counter a physician’s advice or judgment. Please always consult your physician before taking any advice learned here or in any other educational medical material.

The post “I’s” On The Ball Shoulder Flexion And Extension appeared first on Golfstretch.