Foot Pain Can Hurt Your Golf Game

Have you noticed your feet hurt as you walk the last half of the golf course? Has your golf swing seemed off? Well, foot pain may be affecting your golf swing.

Proper Golf Swing Bio-Mechanics

A correct golf swing depends upon the proper placement and movement of your feet and hips.

1. During the set-up of the swing, your weight should be evenly distributed on both feet.
2. As you lean over the ball, place a little more weight on your forefoot and the insides of both feet.
3. As you swing back, pivot while enabling your hips to rotate.
4. Your weight should then shift to your back foot, slightly on the inside of the foot. (If you shift your weight to the outside of your back foot while swinging your club back and through, you will hit the ball incorrectly.)
5. While your back foot is in proper position, slightly on the inside, your front foot should roll to the inside. Occasionally, the front heel may come off the ground as the shoulders turn.
6. At the height of the back swing, your weight should be evenly distributed on your back foot, with your front foot rolling to the inside.
7. During the downswing, your weight should rapidly shift from your back foot to your foot, causing your back foot to roll to the inside and your front foot to roll to the outside.

Common Foot Conditions that Can Ruin Your Golf Game

If you feel any pain in your big toes, heels, or the balls of your feet, your golf swing can be affected, disrupting your follow-through, and causing you to hit the ball off course. The most common foot conditions that can affect your golf game are:

Arthritis

Arthritis can cause cartilage loss and inflammation in the joint of the big toe. This can cause pain, which makes it difficult for you to follow through on your swing.

Plantar fasciitis

When the plantar fascia (the band of tissue that extends from your heel to the ball of your foot) becomes inflamed, plantar fasciitis can result. This condition can feel like a knife is being jabbed into the heel of the foot. Golfers with plantar fasciitis find it uncomfortable to maintain a solid stance during their golf swing, causing them to pull sharply to the left or right and losing control over the direction of the ball.

Arch pain

Fallen arches can cause arch pain. This pain can lead to an unstable, wobbly stance during your swing.

Morton’s Neuroma

When nerves become compressed or irritated, they can thicken, enlarge, and cause pain. This pain is called a neuroma. Morton’s Neuroma occurs in the ball of the foot, usually between the third and fourth toes. Golfers with this condition will feel pain as they walk the course, or when they shift weight from one foot to another while swinging the club.

Metatarsalgia

This condition occurs when the metatarsal region (the group of five long bones located in the mid-foot area) becomes inflamed or painful. Metatarsalgia can affect the bones, joints, and surrounding tissue of the entire metatarsal region. However, it is usually located under the second, third, and fourth metatarsal area. Metatarsalgia can adversely affect your golf swing due to all the toe and forefoot motions involved during this action.

Achilles tendonitis

Inflammation or degeneration of the Achilles tendon (the large tendon located in the back of the leg that connects to the heel bone) can lead to Achilles tendonitis. This condition can cause instability to your balance, leading to an unsteady swing.

Foot Treatments for a Pain-free Golf Game

Most of the time, these common foot problems can be treated with medications, cortisone injections, ice, physical therapy, or by changing the type of shoes worn. Depending upon the condition and its severity, surgery may also be required.

Additionally, custom shoe inserts like the ezWalker® Custom Fit Orthotic can help to stabilize your balance, evenly redistribute your weight on your feet, and correct your body posture during your golf swing. The ezWalker® Custom Orthotics are custom made for each of your feet to strategically raise your arches, so you have proper support and reduced pressure on the balls of your feet. The ezWalker® Custom Orthotics also guide your feet, so you walk from lateral heel to medial forefoot. This movement creates better bio-mechanics for your entire body.

In a study by the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, golfers wearing custom orthotics increased their club-head velocity by 3-5 mph, enabling them to hit the ball on average 15 yards farther. Also, golfers using custom orthotics were not as tired after playing 9 rounds of simulated golf, suggesting they played with more consistent performance.

Therefore, if your feet aren’t up to the game, your golf swing won’t be either. To learn more about the ezWalker® Custom Fit Orthotics, visit our website. ezWalker® Custom Orthotics are ultra thin and ¾ in length, so they easily transfer from your everyday shoes to your golf shoes. Order your ezWalker® Custom Fit Orthotics today.

Stay in step and stay on top of your game with ezWalker® Custom Fit Orthotics by the WalkEzStore. Because … when your feet feel good, you feel good.®

Disclaimer: The information included in this article is for educational purposes only. It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.