Sue Ferguson
Chiropodist and Podiatrist in Tenterden, Kent
LOCATION: Home | Sport and Feet | Golf and Injuries Registered with the Health and Care Professions Council
Registration No. CH16194
 

Golf and Injuries

The Five Factors to Success in Golf

  1. Biomechanics and fitness
  2. Technique
  3. Tactics
  4. Psychological - a belief you can win
  5. Get the best equipment you can afford

Golf Shoes

Golf shoes have improved enormously over the last few years and are now generally much more supportive and cushioned than they used to be.

Golf shoes must be firm enough to support the foot during the long distances walked over uneven ground and the soles must provide enough grip to avoid slipping. You can fine tune your golf shoes to help you play better by getting custom made orthotics to wear inside them.

Orthotics for Golf

To give your feet more support and comfort, orthotics are an excellent choice. Orthotics (insoles worn inside your shoes) change the way you walk and stand by making your feet function in a more efficient way, they are not just for painful feet, they will stabilise your feet and improve your balance and posture when driving or putting. Prescription orthotics take a long time to make due to the detailed and extensive measurements that are required to get them just right. Once you start wearing them you will wonder how you ever managed without them.

During an average 18 hole round of golf you might spend about 3-4 hours walking and cover 5-6 miles. Much of this time is spent on uneven ground and if your feet don't function well on normal ground they will be even worse on uneven ground.

Orthotics (Arch Supports) for your Golf Shoes

Golf Orthotics and Arch Supports

Computerised Gait Analysis

 

Golf Injuries

Most golfers are aware how easy it is get injured by a faulty swing or a miss-hit. However you are more vulnerable when you are tired and you are more likely to tire quickly when you struggle around the golf course with poorly supported feet. The older you are the more you are at risk if your feet don't function well.

So while taking care to avoid the well known golf injuries to your elbow, shoulder and wrist, please give some thought to your feet and the type of injuries they can cause. Back pain, hip pain, knee pain, shin pain, heel pain, plantar fasciitis, arch discomfort, mortons neuroma, metatarsalgia and general foot pain can all be blamed on poor foot mechanics.

Take this Test

  • Are you aged 40 or over
  • Do your ordinary shoes wear unevenly
  • Are you uncomfortable when standing, walking or running
  • Do you have knock knees or bow legs
  • Do you have obvious foot problems (bunions, corns, flat feet, ingrowing toe nails, heel pain)
  • Have you had a prior injury to your knees, back or neck
  • Do you putt the first 9 holes better than the second 9 holes

The higher the number of yes's the more we can help

In a Clinical Trial with Experienced Golfers

Wearing orthotics in golf shoes:

71% of golfers had improved balance
50% of golfers hit ball harder
38% of golfers had a lower golf score

[SOURCE: Effects of orthotic intervention and nine holes of simulated golf on club-head velocity in experienced golfers
Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, Volume 23, Issue 3, Pages 168-174, D.Stude, J.Gullickson]

You don't get tired so quickly
You play better golf
You walk more efficiently

[SOURCE: The effects of orthotic intervention and 9 holes of simulated golf on gait in experienced golfers. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 2001, Vol 24, Iss 4, pp 279-287. DE Stude, J Gullickson

   
Contact Sue Ferguson
Podiatrist
Book an appointment now to help your foot pain
Tel: 01580 765546
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Sue Ferguson
BSc (Hons), MRCPod
Chiropodist and Podiatrist

2 St Benets Court
Tenterden
Kent TN30 6QS
Tel: 01580 765546

Email: sjf.ferguson@gmail.com