Stiff hip and followthrough

[ChipNRun]

Quick preview of me: Turned 70 in November, am about 12 years into trouble with arthritic right hip... no hip replace on horizon.

 

Basic problem is this: When my hip stiffens up, I have problem of being able to only rotate about 75* in backswing, but can go almost 90* on downswing.

 

I got physical therapy a few months ago. It helped in both strengthening and flexibility, but things stiffen up the last few holes. Can really be a problem on second day of tournaments.

 

Basically, it starts with some aching at top of right pelvis. Then then the back hip area starts to tighten up, going downward to below hip socket. On some swings, it's really tight, and I end up baseballing the club low to left, rather than finishing high.

 

So, what should I do? If I just finish high and choke off the baseball spinout, how much power will I lose? If I mirror the shorter backswing pivot on downswing, will that work?

 

Sorry I haven't posted any video.

 

(Literally, my doctor is worried about a hip replacement now. He said HRs only last about 25 years, and it might fail in my early 90s.)

[golfsticks]

Hard to say without seeing how you're defining terms in relation to motion.

 

I would definitely continue PT.  Trying to put myself into your shoes with a bad right hip I would consider, at least in exploring options,  dropping the trail foot off the line a little for all clubs which serves to get the trail hip out of the way at address, then vector the club up to the top and there should be minimal trail hip involvement, but only a guess without seeing. 

[highpro]

Your Dr. sure is an optimist. I think you should look again at getting the hip replaced. If physical therapy can’t do more then you need to decide whether it’s worth it to you to have the replacement. My father has had three joints replaced and is playing better now than he was 20 years ago with no pain. 

[Zitlow]

Do you extend your right leg in the backswing? 

[MonteScheinblum]

Lack of range of motion is almost never the issue.

 

The 3 most common issues.

 

1.  Left heel staying in the ground.

2.  Right knee not losing flex.

3.  Right hip (and butt cheek) not rotating toward the target at the end of the backswing and sway away from the target,

Edited December 4, 2020 by MonteScheinblum

[ChipNRun]

3 hours ago, golfsticks said:

at least in exploring options,  dropping the trail foot off the line a little for all clubs which serves to get the trail hip out of the way at address,

I  do have a slightly closed stance, as I play a draw. At early onset, a draw was suggested as way to take pressure off hip.

 

32 minutes ago, Zitlow said:

Do you extend your right leg in the backswing?

No, I keep it flexed slightly. I used to straighten in my Stack N' Tilt season, where I ended up with dynamite short irons... but frequent low line drives for driver and woods.

 

17 minutes ago, MonteScheinblum said:

3.  Right hip (and butt cheek) not rotating toward the target at the end of the backswing and sway away from the target,

This may be the root problem. When things get stiff, I sometimes slide rather than rotate on takeaway. At an early-season tuneup, pro said I was getting weight "stuck on back foot" every other shot. Thought I had it cured!

 

Thanks guys. Don't know if golfweather will come pre-Christmas. 

[golfsticks]

31 minutes ago, ChipNRun said:

I  do have a slightly closed stance, as I play a draw. At early onset, a draw was suggested as way to take pressure off hip.

 

So your issue is lack of mobility instead of flexibility secondary to arthritis, correct?

[ChipNRun]

12 minutes ago, golfsticks said:

 

So your issue is lack of mobility instead of flexibility secondary to arthritis, correct?

When the hip gets stiff, the lack of mobility (?) shows up. Instructors have said I have excellent flexibility for a person my age - but they see me after I have warmed up with a dozen shots, rather than on the back nine of Round 2.

 

Another aggravating factor: Most of my tournament rounds (multi-day) were played with temperatures around 100*F, so heat stress didn't help.

Edited December 5, 2020 by ChipNRun
Heat note.

[Zitlow]

@ChipNRun Not sure if any of this will make sense to you.

 

When you try and keep your right knee flexed in the backswing you don't have good support or good balance. No one would try to support a huge weight above their head with flexed knees or their knees would buckle and they'd go down to the ground. 

 

The pivot should be somewhat like walking, both sides of your body work together for support and balance. As you step to your left foot, your right arm swings, as you step to your right root your left arm swings and on and on and on.

 

Think about balance in a golf swing, Energy you expend trying to maintain your balance is energy that's not getting out to the club head. 

 

Don't know if trying to maintain a flexed right knee is bad for your hip but it's bad for your golf swing. 

 

Edited December 5, 2020 by Zitlow

[Pepperturbo]

@ChipNRun - I am the same age.  Recently, its been more difficult for me since my gym is again, shut-down.  Exercising has always made coping with arthritis, easier.  But now because of osteoarthritis is showing up in hands and hips my Ortho is talking about hip replacement as well. 

 

I've talked to a few people that had it done but only one is a really good golfer and works out.  From what I am told I can be back on the course and cycling in 3 months as long as I do the prescribed physical therapy, which is easy given I been doing it all my life. 

 

As it is - my swing has evolved into a bit more arms and to help my turn to the left, I am putting a touch more weight on the inside of my left foot, so I turn easier.  The benefit of upper body strength is I can still accelerate my hands through impact zone so able hit decent distances and put up decent scores.  However, if the virus crap keeps shutting down businesses like my gym, it's going to force me to consider hip replacement.

[ChipNRun]

1 hour ago, Pepperturbo said:

However, if the virus crap keeps shutting down businesses like my gym, it's going to force me to consider hip replacement.

One of my big aggravating factors.

 

After January-Feb.  physical therapy on my hip, I got turned loose to work out on my own. Right about that time, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker declared gyms non-essential businesses.

 

The gyms got shut down for a couple of months. When gyms reopened, mine went out of business after about two weeks.

 

I'm now with Planet Fitness, excellent facility. But, the time without workout machines caused the therapy benefits to fade. It's hard to do isolation exercises on your hip with a soup can in the living room.

 

Plan for next few weeks: Go to the gym and get things stabilized. I'll worry about the swing in March.

 

I have a doctor's appointment next week. I'll see what happens.

 

(Note: One blocker may be "minimize elective surgery" during COVID. As long as I can walk, I guess hip replacement would be elective).

[MonteScheinblum]

40 minutes ago, ChipNRun said:

One of my big aggravating factors.

 

After January-Feb.  physical therapy on my hip, I got turned loose to work out on my own. Right about that time, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker declared gyms non-essential businesses.

 

The gyms got shut down for a couple of months. When gyms reopened, mine went out of business after about two weeks.

 

I'm now with Planet Fitness, excellent facility. But, the time without workout machines caused the therapy benefits to fade. It's hard to do isolation exercises on your hip with a soup can in the living room.

 

Plan for next few weeks: Go to the gym and get things stabilized. I'll worry about the swing in March.

 

I have a doctor's appointment next week. I'll see what happens.

 

(Note: One blocker may be "minimize elective surgery" during COVID. As long as I can walk, I guess hip replacement would be elective).

I feel for you boss.  Covid has caused so much collateral damage.  

[ChipNRun]

3 hours ago, Zitlow said:

Don't know if trying to maintain a flexed right knee is bad for your hip but it's bad for your golf swing. 

 

Golfdom seems to be mixed on this, to a confusing degree. Several clips and online articles said that straightening either knee can "skew the hip turn" and lead to exaggerated inside-out or outside-in swings.

 

Another article says that locking the right knee raises the right hip and lowers the left hip. With hips so unlevel, the article says it's difficult to make a proper weight shift on downswing.

 

On the same search screen, there's a video clip with the title, "Right Knee Flex Is Killing Your Golf Swing." Supposedly keeping right knee flex causes stress on the hip, messes up backswing rotation, and can lead to back injuries.

 

BTW, who is the golfer in the video you sent me? Appears to be wearing nickers, and has one of the smoothest swings I've ever seen!

[Zitlow]

@ChipNRun

That's Mike Austin, he died in 2005 at age 95. You can take what passes for golf instruction today and do the opposite and you'd pretty much have Austin's technique. What's interesting is that if Austin was still alive and posting here he would be branded a heretic and run off the forum. 

 

Keeping your right knee flexed, turning your hips level and turning your right hip inside your right ankle causes your shoulders to wobble and robs you of support. When you don't have a support you're off balance. You've never seen a baseball pitcher shift his weight to home plate while he was winding up. 

 

Without getting into the nuts and bolts of Austin's swing, watch the video again. Use your imagination and visualize his shoulders and hips as wheels and his spine as the axle. No wobble. He's creating energy in the back swing  and his down swing is one great big fat synergistic release. 

 

 

 

 

[pktaske]

1 hour ago, Zitlow said:

@ChipNRun

That's Mike Austin, he died in 2005 at age 95. You can take what passes for golf instruction today and do the opposite and you'd pretty much have Austin's technique. What's interesting is that if Austin was still alive and posting here he would be branded a heretic and run off the forum. 

 

Keeping your right knee flexed, turning your hips level and turning your right hip inside your right ankle causes your shoulders to wobble and robs you of support. When you don't have a support you're off balance. You've never seen a baseball pitcher shift his weight to home plate while he was winding up. 

 

Without getting into the nuts and bolts of Austin's swing, watch the video again. Use your imagination and visualize his shoulders and hips as wheels and his spine as the axle. No wobble. He's creating energy in the back swing  and his down swing is one great big fat synergistic release. 

 

 

 

 

All these swings that are supposed to be so drastically different have a lot of fundamental commonalities. I see a guy moving his weight forward and his arms and body moving together in good synchronization. No significant stalling or stopping.

Nice full follow through. Nothing breaking down. I think about 10% of all golfers get to this stage.

[jonsnow]

On 12/4/2020 at 6:13 PM, MonteScheinblum said:

Lack of range of motion is almost never the issue.

 

The 3 most common issues.

 

1.  Left heel staying in the ground.

2.  Right knee not losing flex.

3.  Right hip (and butt cheek) not rotating toward the target at the end of the backswing and sway away from the target,

I have the opposite issue, pretty good rotation on the backswing but limited left hip rotation on the downswing. I don't think it's a range of motion issue; any thoughts on what could be the real issues?

[MonteScheinblum]

3 hours ago, jonsnow said:

I have the opposite issue, pretty good rotation on the backswing but limited left hip rotation on the downswing. I don't think it's a range of motion issue; any thoughts on what could be the real issues?

Slide, right hip firing early, club face too open....to name a few.