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Golf has become a big part of life for many Bellevue residents, as has their chiropractic care to keep in golf shape. The same is true for many professional golfers in todays game. Professional golfer Lori West attributes the reason she's playing today to chiropractic. Almost 20 years ago, she visited a chiropractor for her shoulders and neck. West commented that the care improved her golf game infinitely.

As you look at the golf swing, in and of itself, it is quite hard on the back. As you work to perfect your swing it puts a tremendous amount of strain on your spine. This strain comes because as you swing through the golf ball, the hips stop at one point while your shoulders continue to rotate. As a Bellevue chiropractor I see this all the time in my golfing patients. The result is back pain.

Here's some chiropractic advice. Before your game, do some basic stretches. Stretch out hamstrings and groin area. Put a club across your shoulders and lean left and right. Get in a position of where you would be in a swing and bend left and right. Grab a club behind your back and raise it up, stretching your shoulder muscles. Grab the club backwards - so if you normally swing right-handed, you'd grab it like you'd be swinging left-handed- and take 10 practice swings that way. You're stretching different muscles and it will help you loosen up considerably. Do neck stretches. Stiff neck muscles inhibit the rest of the body from turning freely. Anything that helps your flexibility eventually helps with your game. As you get older, your swing naturally shortens since the muscles aren't as supple. During the winter, work on stretching the muscles of the arms, shoulders and back. Flexibility is very important for older golfers.

Also, you have to have good balance if you want to hit the golf ball consistently. The foundation of balance is the spine, and an unhealthy spine does not allow for proper balance. If needed, orthotic stabilizers for your shoes can help improve balance so your swing is better.

Chiropractors care for your body as a whole, not just the back. If you are finding that there is a "kink" in your swing, chiropractic may be just what the swing instructor ordered!