A Four-Week Upper-Extremity Exercise Program on a Balance Device Improves Power and Stability in Collegiate Golfers

Year 2018, Volume: 6 Issue: 1, 48 - 55, 30.03.2018

Elise P. Strutt Andrew L. Shım Michael Waller Daniel Jung Kathleen Zajıc

Abstract

Relatively little research has been conducted
examining the physical characteristics that are important to a golfer’s
performance. The investigators studied whether a series of upper-extremity
exercises on a balance device would significantly improve upper-extremity stability and power in collegiate golfers. A
total of 23 collegiate golfers (ages: 20.4 ± 1.4 years, height: 67.7 in ± 6.6
in, weight: 171.8 lb. ± 87.6 lb.) participated in the study. A two group
non-equivalent pre-test/post-test design was selected for this study. Testing
included shoulder flexion, hyper-extension
(shoulder flexibility), and a Closed-Kinetic Chain Upper-Extremity Stability
test (Upper-Extremity stability and power). Testing was conducted before and
after a 4-week upper-extremity exercise
conducted on a balance device. An independent t-test was selected to analyze differences if any between the experimental and
control group. The experimental group revealed a significant improvement in
upper-extremity power (p=0.01) and stability (p=0.01). The shoulder flexibility
for the experimental group demonstrated no significance (p=0.058) in the left
shoulder hyperextension but showed
significant value (p=0.033) in the right shoulder hyperextension. The control
group demonstrated a significant (p=0.044) decrease in shoulder flexion in the
right shoulder. The results demonstrate that specific upper-extremity exercises
on a balance device do improve
upper-extremity power, upper-extremity stability, and over-head shoulder
flexibility within 4 weeks.

Keywords

Closed-Kinetic Chain Upper-Extremity Stability Test (CKCUEST), Shoulder Flexibility, Golf, Conditioning

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