An all too common adage of golf is “It’s all in the hips!”
Yes! Mobility of your hips is crucial; however, we also need to control the “home” of the hips: The Pelvis! The ability to move and control the position of the pelvis is critical for optimal power transfer from the lower body to the upper body.
This blog focuses on pelvic anterior to posterior motion (sagittal plane) and improving power.
Top level golfers tilt their pelvis backwards (posteriorly) up to 20 degrees during the downswing. (due to the contraction or firing of their abdominals and gluteal musculature.) This is one of many reasons why the pros can hit the ball much further than any of us at QuistMD!
Improving lumbar spine mobility allows for great posterior pelvic tilt. In this video we go over the “Pelvic Tilt Test.” This test assesses the mobility of the hips, lumbar spine, and ability to control the position of the pelvis in the sagittal plane.
If you have pain with this test, it is a red flag that you may need to correct this before playing 18 this Saturday!
To immediately improve your game,
Address tightness in the hip musculature especially of the quadriceps and psoas
Restore coordination of the pelvis
Chris Mcilvaine, DPT loves the game and works hard at understanding the intersections between improving your performance, strength, and flexibility. Dr. Mcilvaine is a Titleist Performance Institute Certified Level 1 practitioner and NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. He works with many golfers across the skill spectrum, and is excited to help you hone your skills .
If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr McIlvaine or any one of our clinicians, please feel free to contact our superstar scheduling team at 202.244.8222 or via email at info@quistmd.com. They are always happy to help!