Page 9 - Leisure Living Magazine: Spring 2021 Edition

A Golfers Guide To Avoiding Foot And Ankle Pain
By Molly S. Judge DPM, MollyJudge.com
For golfers over-use in- jury becomes a fact of life. In fact, working through the pain and finishing that 18-holes is considered a badge of honor by some.
Intuitively, most are
aware that ongoing strain
in sports will create inju-
ry and golf is no exception.
Everything from sore toes
to ankle and leg sprains can
interfere with a good round
of golf. Our feet and ankles
are the platform from which
we convert ground reactive
forces into hip and shoulder
rotation. With proper angle
and base of gait we can generate energy and mo- mentum to initiate a well controlled back swing. Once the back swing is complete energy is direct- ed into a low gear hip rotation. When balanced and controlled, hip rotation allows for optimal high gear shoulder rotation bringing the club through down swing. When all the mechanics come together the club face will contact the ball in its sweet spot. This is truly the highlight of the game.
By keeping yourself in good physical condi- tion you can avoid overuse and injury. Stretch- ing the front of the legs and back of the calfs is effective for improving tolerance of prolonged walking and standing. Sustained stretching exer- cises for the neck, back and hamstrings will help you to prevent unnecessary strains and is worth the extra time before playing. Weight lifting im- mediately before golfing is a bad idea for many, as it may result in pushing and forcing the club around when in fact what you need is control and finesse.
If you know you have tendonitis or arthritis then proactive dosing with chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine well before the season starts is a good idea for maintenance throughout the sea- son. Over the counter ibuprophen (Motrin) or
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Aleve (Naproxen) can be helpful when used as directed before and after your round. Check with your doctor to make sure this is safe for you.
Tips so you don’t get Teed Off
Stretch - Perform stretching exercises well in advance of your game. 10 minutes for upper body and 10 minutes for lower body will bring improved tolerance for a long round. Remember, weight lifting may be counter-productive imme- diately prior to golfing.
NSAIDs - Ask your doctor whether or not you can use anti-inflammatory agents before your game. For many these agents provide ample relief of arthritic symptoms and improve comfort after the round.
Topicals - Immediately after play soreness can be relieved with cold agents. For delayed onset aching a deep heat product will help. Re- member heating pads and hot water baths are su- perficial heating methods that do not provide the relief of deep heating.
Dr. Judge treats chronic pain and complex foot and ankle deformity. A focus on conservative treatment is always first. When surgery is needed this is her specialty. She can be reached in her Port Clinton office at 419.732.2618.
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