IT'S GOOD FOR YOUR GAME

By T.J. Tomasi

The trauma caused by torque, or the sheering force of a golf swing on the back and neck, builds up over time. It's like a stopped-up sink ― drip, drip, drip with no problem, but then comes that last drip and the overflow starts.

You've seen the effect a bad back can have on great players like Tiger Woods and Jason Day, and these are golfers who have access to the best trainers and physical therapists in the business. So what chance do you, of limited budget, have?

The problem is that without doing specific exercises, it's hard to keep the muscles responsible for stabilizing the spine and core in shape. Sitting for long periods is bad enough, but if you don't have an exercise program, the disadvantages multiply until the damaged system shuts itself, and your golf game, down ― sometimes for good.

Low back pain is the No. 1 injury sustained by golfers, according to the journal Sports Health, accounting for up to 35 percent of all injuries. And here's a stunner ― “The direct annual costs of back pain, as related to physician services, medical devices, medications, hospital services and diagnostic tests, for example, are estimated to be $91 billion.”

Here are a few tips to help you deal with back injury:

Tip 1: As he was accepting the trophy at the Dell Match Play tournament last Sunday, Jason Day said that on Thursday it had been 50/50 whether his back would hold up. But his ace in the hole was a set of simple exercises he did WHILE he played on national TV (for example, on the sixth hole of the finals). Ask your health care professional for some stretching exercises you can do while you play.

Tip 2: If you ride in a cart, be alert to bumps, holes, curbs and anything else that will compress your spine.

Tip 3: If you must rent a cart, split the driving; work out a deal with your cart partner so you can alternate walking and driving.

Tepee test

To find out if your stabilizing system is currently operational for golf, take the test I call the tepee, pictured in the photos below. The fact that our professional model can operate within the tepee during the downswing shows that his back has not reached the shutdown stage ― yet.

Have a friend video your swing, then compare it to the photos at these two positions ― (1) just as you start down, when your lead arm is across the shoulder line and the weight has shifted to the front leg, and (2) at impact.

Dr. T.J. Tomasi is a teaching professional in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Visit his website at tomasigolf.com.

Our golfer is in perfect tepee position as he slots the club. Note how his neck, spine and pelvis are aligned; all he has to do is rotate around that line. Also note the vertical line through his ear and toe; his goal is to keep his knees inside the tepee while he rotates.

Here at impact, his spine, neck and pelvis are in the same alignment while his right arm and hip are inside the tepee. You can’t attain this position if your back is dodgy.