Cameron Stewart, D.C.

Hello North Florida! Dr. Cam here.

One of the fantastic things about living here is the abundance of opportunities for outdoor activities – hitting the golf course, playing tennis, fishing, kayaking, you name it. These activities are great for staying active and enjoying our beautiful weather. But they also require specific movements that, if done with poor biomechanics or underlying spinal issues, can lead to pain and injury.

Think about a golf swing or a tennis serve. These are powerful, rotational movements that involve the entire body working in coordination. Just like winding up for a hammer throw back in my track and field days, generating power and accuracy while staying injury-free depends heavily on:

• Spinal Mobility: Especially in the thoracic spine (mid-back), allowing for proper rotation.
• Core Stability: Transferring power effectively from the lower body to the upper body.
• Hip and Pelvic Function: Crucial for generating rotational force.
• Shoulder Mechanics: Allowing for a fluid and powerful arm motion (as we discussed last week, often linked to neck/upper back health).
• Optimal Nerve Function: Ensuring muscles fire correctly and coordinate smoothly.

If there are restrictions or misalignments in your spine, pelvis, or other joints, your body will compensate. This compensation might mean you lose power in your swing, sacrifice accuracy, or worse, put excessive strain on certain areas (like the lower back or elbow), leading to common issues like golfer’s elbow, tennis elbow, or low back pain. My own experience managing disc issues taught me how crucial core stability and proper spinal mechanics are for any rotational movement.

How Chiropractic Can Help Your Game:

Chiropractic care focuses on optimizing the function of your spine and nervous system, which directly translates to better biomechanics for your favorite activities:

1. Improving Spinal Mobility: Adjustments can restore motion to restricted joints, particularly in the thoracic spine, allowing for better rotation.
2. Enhancing Pelvic Alignment: Ensuring the pelvis is balanced and moving correctly is key for generating power from the ground up.
3. Optimizing Nerve Flow: By reducing spinal misalignments, we help ensure the nerves controlling your muscles are functioning optimally for better coordination and strength.
4. Identifying and Addressing Imbalances: We can often spot muscle imbalances or movement patterns that could lead to injury and provide advice on stretches or exercises.
5. Faster Recovery: Helping your body function optimally can also aid in recovery after a long day on the course or court.

Want to add yards to your drive, improve your serve consistency, or simply enjoy your favorite activities with less pain? Optimizing your body’s mechanics is key.

Let’s check your alignment and see how chiropractic can help unlock your potential! Visit www.drcam.rocks to book an appointment.

Play well,

Dr. Cam