Smith Physical Therapy is excited to announce the beginning of its Golf Medicine division at our Crystal Lake facility. What does golf medicine even mean? Let’s address a few things that our specialists can do to help golfers perform and feel their best.
Primarily, Golf Medicine at Smith PT can help facilitate someone getting back to playing golf from an injury they sustained on or off the golf course. They may have shoulder pain from lifting, a back injury from doing a household task, or a knee problem from a slip and fall. Most golf-specific injuries are from over-use or poor mechanics, so in this regard, physical therapy can help rehab from pain and educate/train more appropriate movement mechanics that are conducive to the golf swing and to the individual’s unique body. Our goal is to help meet your goals of playing golf without limiting pain, as well as improving your ability to perform your activities of daily living.
Once someone has completed formal physical therapy and is able to perform their functional activities without difficulty or limitation, our Golf Medicine program then looks at transitioning the golfer into a more performance/fitness-based program. This avenue uses the specialized training that our golf specialists have through various programs like Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) or Gary Gray Functional Golf Specialist. Since our experts have additional training in golf swing mechanics and human body movement, the golfer is better equipped to understand where their body is limiting them in mobility, flexibility, strength, motor control, power, etc. that may be contributing to a lack of performance, or increased injury risk.
Don’t worry, you don’t have to go through formal physical therapy to participate in our Golf Medicine program. We offer services for healthy golfers looking to meet their performance goals, or simply to play golf as a lifelong sport. Whether you are looking to add 15 yards to your drive, improve consistency of ball striking, survive a buddy’s golf trip, or simply to play more rounds, we are devoted to help you meet your goals.
What we do NOT do…We are not a facility you come to if you are looking for instruction or lessons. If you are a beginner trying to learn the game, or an experienced player looking to improve/change your swing, that is not our focus. We are not trying to replace the teaching professional. That is their specialty. Our program is designed to compliment what the instructor is doing with you. Although we discuss posture, stability, motor sequencing, etc., the focus is on improving the efficiency of the way your body is functioning.
We are also proud to offer a high-definition, full golf simulator to add to your experience. Feel free to come in and play golf with a friend, use as a training tool to learn more about your distances and ball data, or to compliment the work you are doing with a golf specialist to track your progress with your swing.
We look forward to working with you (or a golf-lover in your life) to help meet your personal golf goals. Feel free to come by the facility to meet our staff or see our simulator room. Here is to longer drives, lower scores, and playing healthy golf!
