This summer, injuries will send more than 55,000 golfers to their nearest emergency department.
Shoulder, elbow and wrist injuries are very common, but one critical body part sustains the most damage.
"Lower back injuries can stop any golfer, and those are by far the most common," said Mike Mulcahy, MPT, director of rehabilitation services and the Athletic Medicine Institute (AMI) at McLaren Macomb. "Approximately 35 percent of all reported golf injuries are to the lower back.
"All golf swings are different," he said. "Some preventative care will go a long way to surviving the season with minimal wear and tear."
To keep golfers on the course and enjoying their summer, AMI created a personalized program to assess golfers' swings and analyze biomechanics to correct potentially pain-causing form.
"Many golfers have improper posture at address and some abnormal biomechanics throughout their golf swing," Mulcahy said. "The video analysis technology allows us to evaluate spine angle and other joint alignment at address, the top of the back swing, impact and as the golfer follows through."
The personalized analysis with a licensed physical therapist begins with an assessment of the golfer's strength, flexibility, balance and coordination before individualized exercises are created to address any limitations.
Advanced video software is then used to evaluate their biomechanics.
Cost is $100 for the hour-long, one-on-one session. To make an appointment, call (586) 992-9031.