How to Protect your Shoulders for Golf

How to Protect your Shoulders for Golf

By Renee Gomes Da Silva, Sports Scientist

The shoulder is a unique joint in that it can move in any direction and is the most flexible joint in the human body. But what happens when you don’t have enough range? And what happens when you have too much range?

For the shoulder joint to be effective in the golf swing you need two things: enough range (mobility) and good stability. If you lack in any of these areas, certain compensatory patterns can be observed in the swing. These compensatory patterns are usually in the form of a chicken wing, a flying elbow and a loss of posture. These patterns all appear as a result of the body trying to find a way to set the club at the top of the backswing and generate a decent amount of speed.

These limitations also put you at a greater risk for injury. The shoulder joint is considered the third most common area of injury for a golfer.

Try these shoulder stability exercises:

1. Plank shoulder taps

(3 sets of 15 reps per arm alternating)
Begin in a high plank position with shoulders above wrists and core engaged. Feet are hip distance apart. Lift one hand off the floor and tap the opposite shoulder maintaining neutral hips. Keep alternating arms.

2. Lateral raises

(3 sets of 15 reps)
Stand in an upright position holding a dumbbell in each hand. Raise both arms simultaneously to shoulder height and lower with control.

3. Scapular retraction

(3 sets of 15 reps)
Start by laying on your stomach with your forehead flat on the ground. Bend the arms 90° and lift the arms off of the ground. Hold this position for 3 seconds and slowly lower the arms back to the ground. Make sure to press the shoulder blades together when the arms are lifted.