Golf is a great game which offers significant physical and mental health benefits particularly for older people. It provides good, safe exercise over several hours in a pleasant outdoor environment. Playing golf helps improve joint movement, balance and hand-eye co-ordination. The game also has an important social aspect with fellow players on the course and also with other members in the club house.
It can also be very competitive.
Golfers are renowned for always being on the lookout for anything that will give them a positive edge and help improve their game. Sensible, rationale people with good money management skills will happily spend fortunes on expensive equipment, gadgets and widgets if they think it might save them a shot or two. All too often though, these purchases are quickly discarded and left languishing in the bag.
But there is one piece of equipment with proven benefits that golfers rarely think of – custom arch supports.
How Do Custom Arch Supports Improve Golf Performance?
Custom arch supports (also known as orthotics) help golf performance in three key ways:
- Power
- Comfort
- Injury prevention
Improved Power
The feet are the foundations of the body – and the golf swing. Custom arch supports improve stability, posture, balance and joint alignment from the feet to the spine. These improvements not only help produce a more consistent golf swing, they also allow for smoother weight transfer during the swing, resulting in increased power and accuracy.
Comfort
A typical round of 18 hole golf involves walking several miles in around four hours. If the arches of the feet aren’t properly supported during this extended period, it can lead to pain, discomfort and fatigue particularly for people with flat feet, high arches or whose arches are beginning to collapse. The repeated impact experienced while walking for several hours can also cause shin, knee and ankle pain. Custom arch supports are designed to match the contours of the feet and in turn absorb impact and minimise pressure points. Instead of hobbling around the back nine in pain, golfers wearing custom arch supports can stay comfortable and focussed on their game.
Injury Prevention
If the arches of the feet aren’t properly supported, the rest of the body is likely to be out of alignment. Over a four hour round comprising eighty plus shots, poor body alignment can lead to painful injuries like plantar fasciitis, shin splints, knee pain and lower back pain. Custom arch supports are proven to be effective in preventing such injuries by correcting biomechanical issues and providing shock absorption. Golfers wearing custom arch supports can therefore enjoy a pain-free round and focus on maximising their score.
Is pain or discomfort affecting your golf game? Foot Solutions Richmond provide a free, no obligation foot assessment and gait analysis.
Image by Courtney Cook via Unsplash