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Foot Pain Ruining Your Golf Swing?
HOWELL - The barrier to a perfect golf swing could lie in your big toe. Or your heel. Or on the ball of your foot. Hal Ornstein, DPM, FACFAS and Jasen Langley, DPM, FACFAS, members of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS), say these are the three areas of your feet most likely to cause pain that can ruin your golf swing.
Behind these pain-prone spots can lie stiff
joints, stretched-out tissues and even nerve
damage. Although these are all serious issues ,pain relief is possible and frequently does not
require surgery.
According to Dr. Ornstein and Dr. Langley, the three most common painful foot conditions that can ruin your golf swing are heel pain, arthritis and pinched nerves.
Arthritis can cause pain in the joint of your big toe that makes it difficult to follow-through on your golf swing.
Heel pain typically results from an inflamma- tion of the band of tissue that extends from your heel to the ball of your foot. People with this condition compare the pain to someone jabbing a knife in their heel. Heel pain can make it uncomfortable for golfers to maintain a solid stance during crucial portions of their golf swing.
Neuromas, according to footphysicians.com, are nerves that become thickened, enlarged and painful because they've been compressed or irritated. A neuroma in the ball of your foot can cause significant pain as your body transfers its weight from one foot to the other in a golf swing.
Several other painful conditions can also cause instability during your swing. Some athletes and former athletes develop chronic ankle instability from previous ankle sprains that failed to heal properly. Motion-limiting arthritis and Achilles tendonitis can also affect your balance. Ill-fitting shoes may also cause corns and calluses that make standing uncomfortable.
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