Playing golf requires good mobility and stability in your feet, especially the midfoot. To be able to load well during a backswing you need to be able to keep the big toe and the medial part of the heel on the ground. Players with a stiff midfoot have a tendency to put too much weight on the lateral part of the foot, or to straighten the same-side knee.
The direction of the ground reaction force is different if the weight is put on the lateral part of the foot during the end of a backswing. The balance and the loading of the hips will also be affected.
Compensating by trying to straighten out the knee can be compared to jumping with straight knees – no load, no explode.
Here is an easy way to mobilize a hypomobile midfoot with the help of 1080Wedge:
In the example below, one of our clients was analyzed with the help of our web-based testing system, 1080MAP (Movement Assessment Profile). In one of the tests, he is standing on his right foot, toe-touching with his left. His hands are on top of each other at shoulder height with straight elbows. 90 % of his weight is on the right foot.
We then measure how many degrees he is able to rotate his whole body to the right without lifting his big toe or the medial part of the heel. This is a pure rotation test and he is not allowed to compensate by flexing his hip, knee, elbows, or trunk. The trunk needs to be straight.
The average score of this test (3 949 tests) is 113 degrees rotation to the right. His 1080MAP test result showed a decreased supination pattern in his right foot, and decreased internal rotation in his right hip. He was able to rotate 62 degrees to the right.
After only mobilizing his midfoot with 1080Wedge he increased his rotation with 23 degrees from 62 to 85 degrees. That was after only 8 repetitions using 1080Wedge, see below
How to use 1080Wedge: Stand in a stride standing position with the involved foot in the back. Put 1080wedge (with a 4 degree angle) under the midfoot with the higher part of the wedge under the lateral part of the midfoot. Angle the wedge 10 degrees towards the big toe. Keep the hands on the pelvis. Turn the pelvis towards the involved side, keeping the knee straight. It is important that the motion is driven all the way down to the foot. Repeat 8 times.
Never increase mobility without giving a stability exercise. Stand on the involved side. Bring up the opposite knee to hip height. Rotate side to side 20 times. Make sure the pelvis is rotating.
This is how happy you become when both the mobility and balance is increased in just 8 repetitions!