Is keeping my head still giving me a bad back?

[One Planer]

The question is in the thread title really.

When I first took up the game I had quite a nasty sway. To correct this I made a concious effort to keep my head still.

Heres an example. My last swing video from face on last year.

[video]https://youtu.be/OOpPnY83Khs[/video]

I would like to stress, my swing has changed quite significantly since then, however the head motion motion, or lack of in the back swing hasn't. It stays pretty stationary.

I've suffered with a stiff back for a little while now and wondered if it could be down to this?

Should the head move back a little in the backswing without causing a sway?

Or

Am I best keeping my head movement (... Our lack of) in the back swing as it is?

Any thoughts appreciated :thup:

 

[chrisd]

I'm no golf teacher but it look like too violent a head movement, my head comes up much later after strike and slower

 

[One Planer]

I'm no golf teacher but it look like too violent a head movement, my head comes up much later after strike and slower

Add I said Chris is changed a lot since then.

It more the backswing head motion I'm looking into.

 

[chellie]

What does your Pro say about it?

 

[One Planer]

What does your Pro say about it?

Not had chance to speak to him as of yet.

I believe he's away playing at the moment.

One of the taking points for this year was improving how I coil. Perhaps this may be included.

 

[Snelly]

I would say it has nothing to do with it but then again, I am not an expert.

And why not ask someone who is qualified like a physiotherapist about a physical problem rather than a bloke who sells Mars bars...????

 

[chellie]

I would say it has nothing to do with it but then again, I am not an expert.

And why not ask someone who is qualified like a physiotherapist about a physical problem rather than a bloke who sells Mars bars...????

My Pro is a bio mechanist as well so he'd be my first port of call.

 

[Huwey12]

Not being an expert but it looks like you're straightening your back leg which makes it harder to turn (it does in my case). I know you said your swing has changed but there is movement of your head towards the target in the vid.
If you can post a vid side on to see if you're bending from the hips (bum stuck out) and not from the waist, this, again in my case, makes it harder to turn
Both will cause back pain over 18 holes

 

[Snelly]

My Pro is a bio mechanist as well so he'd be my first port of call.

Oh well that changes everything of course. All those hours spent at medical school getting a degree must mean he's an absolute expert. And if that fails, ask a chiropractor. They will have done about the same amount of study.

 

[One Planer]

I would say it has nothing to do with it but then again, I am not an expert.

And why not ask someone who is qualified like a physiotherapist about a physical problem rather than a bloke who sells Mars bars...????

I would add my pro has qualifications in biomechanics, physiology, physiotherapy.

You're right. I'll ask him

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Having watched the video, your downswing is quite a violent movement. I'd suggest looking at smoothing out your tempo as the first stage to curing any back issues.

 

[the_coach]

if it's day to day repeated similar back pain need to get that checked out at the doc's office.

also does what you do in your working day likely have any bearing on it.

if it is the golf motion, then likely to be what happens from transition down to & through impact when working at speed against resistance.

unlikely to be what happens at the calmer part of the motion on the ways back. folks may think the head stays still going back but it will move some, to make a 90º turn, it has to.
just stand straight up turn your head to the right or left you not goin to get the chin completely over the shoulder line. isn't the range of motion at the top of the spine.
so to get full shoulder turn in, the chin has to turn to trailside some, head has to move.

if it's golf swing related more likely down to the part of the motion that's being performed a ways violently against a braced lead side.
with your swing from the top down the tilt in the trail side with the right shoulder down to get the shaft back from starting down out & over to back down & under to come at the ball from inside, which just into & at impact & just after impact will tend to have to lead to a little ways reverse C type bend to the spine.

 

[One Planer]

Thanks for all the replies so far.

Just to clarify. The swing video above was taken before I made significant changes over the last winter.

I only have a DTL, slow motion video of what I have now. Suffice to say it's vastly different than the one above in most aspects, especially transition.

My thread and question relates specifically to my head motion (... Or lack of) which has not changed.

My head simply doesn't move.

Not my chin turning toward my trail leg, nor my head moving off the ball (back) slightly.

After reading and watching plenty of clips, both of better players and instructional videos, it's mentioned that the head can/should move back anything between and inch and three inches to allow for a full turn (As Coach points out above).

I'm guessing it' a case of coiling the upper body back, without allowing the hips to sway and follow?

Edit: When I say bad back, it's only an ache. Like the kind you get after you go to the gym and haven't been for a while. More stiff than pain.

 

[garyinderry]

Guaranteed if you go to a chiropractor he will tell you this is tight, that is tight and you need this realigned.


Pain mostly likely from doing an asymmetrical swing focusing mostly on the back swing, carrying your bag and poor posture sitting around the house. It isn't just one thing that gives you pain, its usually a number of things and one can be the straw that breaks it.

 

[the_coach]

this was the swing I was speaking to.
my take, if you look real close on the takeback, the chin/face tilts some towards the lens & coming to atop the swing the head both moves towards the ball & down some.

movement from the top of the club hands/arms shoulders first off is over & out then when the hands reach around mid chest height (around 39 secs) the right shoulder tilts trailside & down with the arms while the head moves back & upwards some to route the shaft back down & under the plane so the clubhead can come from inside the line some. whether the cause to the current back issue .... this is goin to put some extra pressure on the lower back.

[video=youtube;VtIldAvrJ1M]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtIldAvrJ1M&feature=player_embedded[/video]

 

[One Planer]

this was the swing I was speaking to.
my take, if you look real close on the takeback, the chin/face tilts some towards the lens & coming to atop the swing the head both moves towards the ball & down some.

movement from the top of the club hands/arms shoulders first off is over & out then when the hands reach around mid chest height (around 39 secs) the right shoulder tilts trailside & down with the arms while the head moves back & upwards some to route the shaft back down & under the plane so the clubhead can come from inside the line some. whether the cause to the current back issue .... this is goin to put some extra pressure on the lower back.

[video=youtube;VtIldAvrJ1M]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtIldAvrJ1M&feature=player_embedded[/video]

It's interesting you bring that video up coach as that was the last swing video I had after my winter work.

My swing has always been flat. Not Kuchar flat but flat non the less. It's something I've tried to change, to be a little more upright or two plane, but I could never get comfortable with it.

I find it easier to swing keeping my head still and allowing my body to rotate around the angle I set at address.

Obviously doing this means I get nowhere near parallel at the top, but I hit it long enough to play the game effectively.

If keeping my head somewhat still through the backswing isn't the cause of my aches, then I'll continue to do it.

Without sounding like I'm on "Loose Women", perhaps some core strengthening exercises may help?

 

[the_coach]

for sure core strength with the obliques, lats, & with the abs (TA), & the other 3 muscle groups will help stabilize & protect the spine, particularly the lower lumbar region, so the base of the spine doesn't 'hollow' out with too much arch.

real important to that too is flexibility, in the hip flexor muscles, as you have connection to both the hip joints, the lumbar spine & the thigh.
so hip flexor stretches, hams stretch all real important to the range of motion & stability in the lower body & lumbar spine.

if folks suffer issues with pain in the front of the hip it's often times strain or tear in the hip flexors.

work to some flexibilty in the rotator cuffs & scapula another area that will pay dividends, as it's here that causes major issues in both the movement to the top of the swing motion, & the start down.

lots of folks are trying real hard to get in positions but flex issues with hams, hip flexors, rotator cuffs etc means often times it's physicality's that prevent a change in movement patterns.
real worth while if folks have the time & are interested in doing stuff around these issues to take a few TPI checks to identify exactly what needs some attention.