The Spine and Shoulder Joints Motion in the Golf SwingBackground
Information on Spine Motion, Shoulder Joint Motion, and Anatomical
TermsSpine Motion:
The spine has four regions (with a total of 33 vertebrae):
Cervical Spine is comprised of the seven cervical (neck) vertebrae.
Thoracic Spine is comprised of the twelve thoracic (upper back)
vertebrae. Lumbar Spine is comprised of the five lumbar (lower
back) vertebrae. Sacrum and Coccyx is comprised of nine bones (five
in the sacrum and four in the coccygeal region) fused together at
the base of the spine.
Range of Motion (ROM) of the Spine: Spinal motion is measured in
degrees of motion. The starting point for all measurements is from
a neutral position (standing up straight, arms to your side, eyes
straight ahead). The motion measured is Flexion (bending forward)
Extension (bending backward) Page 1 of 14
Lateral Flexion (side bending) Rotation (a twisting motion)
Cervical Spine ROM: The cervical spine (7 vertebrae) supports
and enables your head to move. The cervical spine is shaped like an
inward C (called a lordotic curve). The normal ROM for the cervical
spine is as follows: Flexion (dropping your chin to your chest)
normal ROM is 50 degrees Extension (dropping your head back and
looking up) normal ROM is 55 degrees Lateral Flexion (dropping your
ear to your shoulder) - normal ROM is 35 degrees Rotation
(twisting) normal ROM is 75 degrees in each direction.
Watch these videos Flexion / Extension
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBIpa6-PxuE Lateral Flexion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjUb7XKk8vE Rotation -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8PyC8NtfQg
Thoracic and Lumbar Spine ROM: The thoracic spine (12 vertebrae)
is shaped like a backward C (called a kyphotic curve). The lumbar
spine (5 vertebrae) curves in like the cervical spine in a lordotic
curve. The thoracic spine and lumbar spine perform the major
movements of the spine. The normal ROM is as follows: Flexion
(bending forward at the waist) the normal ROM is 75 degrees
Extension (bending backward) the normal ROM is 30 degrees Lateral
Flexion (side bending) the normal ROM is 35 degrees Rotation
(twisting) the normal ROM is 30 degrees
Watch these videos Flexion / Extension
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrFQ7zp-Css Lateral Flexion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0ivzxk15kA Rotation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Qukh0jwndM
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Shoulder Joints Motion:
The shoulder is comprised of bones, ligaments, tendons, and
muscles that connect the arm to the torso. The three bones that
make up the shoulder joint include the clavicle (collarbone),
scapula (shoulder blade), and humerus (long bone of the arm). The
shoulder has two joints that work together to allow arm
movement.
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The glenohumeral joint, or shoulder joint, is a ball-and-socket
type joint. The "ball" is the top, rounded part of the humerus, and
the "socket" is the bowl-shaped part of the scapula, called the
glenoid, into which the ball fits. This joint allows the arm to
move in a circular rotation as well as towards and away from the
body. The labrum is a piece of cartilage that cushions the humerus
head and the glenoid. This cartilage also helps to stabilize the
joint. The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles that pull the
humerus into the scapula. The rotator cuff muscles stabilize the
glenohumeral joint and help with rotation of the arm.
The acromioclavicular joint, or AC joint, is a joint at the top
of the shoulder. It is the junction between the acromion (part of
the scapula that forms the highest point of the shoulder) and the
clavicle. The AC joint allows the ability to raise the arm above
the head. This joint functions as a pivot point (although
technically it is a gliding synovial joint), acting like a strut to
help with movement of the scapula resulting in a greater degree of
arm rotation.
Range of Motion (ROM) of the Shoulder Joint: Adduction (bring
the arm toward the midline of the body) normal ROM is 50 degrees
Abduction (bring arm up sideways) normal ROM is 180 degrees
Horizontal Flexion (swing arm horizontally forward) normal ROM is
130 degrees Vertical Flexion (raise arm straight forward) normal
ROM is 180 degrees Horizontal Extension (swing arm horizontally
backward) normal is 45 degrees Vertical Extension (raise arm
straight backward) normal ROM is 50 degrees Internal Rotation
(rotating the shoulder joint medially or toward the midline of the
body) normal ROM is 90 degrees External Rotation (rotating the
shoulder joint away from the midline of the bocy) normal ROM is 90
degrees
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Watch this movie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBtGKQgT5Os
The Spine Motion in the Golf Swing:During the golf swing the
spine moves in three dimensions about the X, Y, and Z planes of
motion.
Address Position:Cervical Spine Position a slight flexion
position. Thoracic and Lumbar Spine Position a flexion (bending
forward) position. The lumbar (lower spine region) is in its normal
lordosis curve.
Backswing:
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Cervical Spine Position slight flexion, slight lateral flexion,
and rotation (twisting). Thoracic and Lumbar Spine Position:
lateral flexion (side bending) and rotation (twisting). As you
finish the backswing, the lumbar lordosis curve (concave
appearance) increases.
Downswing:Cervical Spine Position - slight flexion, slight
lateral flexion, and rotation
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Thoracic and Lumbar Spine Position lateral flexion (side
bending) and rotation (twisting). Just before impact, the left side
of the body begins to lose the lumbar lordosis while the right side
of the body maintains the lumbar lordosis.
Post Impact and Follow-Through:Cervical Spine Position slight
extension slight lateral flexion, and rotation Thoracic and Lumbar
Spine Position slight later flexion, extension, and rotation. After
impact the lumbar spine will begin to lose the lordosis .
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Note It is important to maintain the correct amount of lumbar
lordosis throughout the golf swing. One key to do this is the
correct movement of the tailbone. During transition from backswing
to downswing, the tailbone moves slightly (and inch or so) toward
the target. Then during the downswing, it moves away from the
target. Note During the downswing, the correct motion of the right
shoulder and the right rotator cuff play an important role in
getting the correct amount of lateral flexion (side bending) in the
thoracic and lumbar spine. Also, during the downswing, the correct
motion of the right shoulder helps to maintain the correct amount
of lumbar lordosis.
Shoulder Joint Motion in the Golf Swing:Address Position:
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Adduction o Right Shoulder - yes o Left Shoulder - no Abduction
o Right Shoulder- no o Left Shoulder - yes Horizontal Flexion o
Right Shoulder - yes o Left Shoulder - yes Vertical Flexion o Right
Shoulder - yes o Left Shoulder - yes Horizontal Extension o Right
Shoulder - no o Left Shoulder - no Vertical Extension o Right
Shoulder - no o Left Shoulder - no Internal Rotation o Right
Shoulder - yes o Left Shoulder - yes External Rotation no o Right
Shoulder - no o Left Shoulder - no
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Backswing:
Adduction o Right Shoulder - no o Left Shoulder - yes Abduction
o Right Shoulder- yes o Left Shoulder - no Horizontal Flexion o
Right Shoulder - no o Left Shoulder - yes Vertical Flexion o Right
Shoulder - no o Left Shoulder - yes Horizontal Extension o Right
Shoulder - yes o Left Shoulder - no Vertical Extension o Right
Shoulder - yes o Left Shoulder - yes Internal Rotation o Right
Shoulder - no o Left Shoulder - yes External Rotation no o Right
Shoulder - yes o Left Shoulder - no
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Downswing:
Adduction o Right Shoulder - no o Left Shoulder - yes Abduction
o Right Shoulder- yes o Left Shoulder - no Horizontal Flexion o
Right Shoulder - no o Left Shoulder - yes Vertical Flexion o Right
Shoulder - yes o Left Shoulder - yes Horizontal Extension o Right
Shoulder - yes o Left Shoulder - no Vertical Extension o Right
Shoulder - no o Left Shoulder - no Internal Rotation o Right
Shoulder - no o Left Shoulder - yes
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External Rotation no o Right Shoulder - yes o Left Shoulder -
no
Post Impact and Follow-Through:
Adduction o Right Shoulder - no o Left Shoulder - yes Abduction
o Right Shoulder- yes
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o Left Shoulder - no Horizontal Flexion o Right Shoulder - yes o
Left Shoulder - no Vertical Flexion o Right Shoulder - yes o Left
Shoulder - yes Horizontal Extension o Right Shoulder - no o Left
Shoulder - yes Vertical Extension o Right Shoulder - no o Left
Shoulder - no Internal Rotation o Right Shoulder - yes o Left
Shoulder - no External Rotation no o Right Shoulder - no o Left
Shoulder - yes
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