title: The short-term effects of trigger point therapy, stretching and medicine ball exercises on accuracy and back swing hip turn in elite, male golfers - A randomised controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to compare the effect of myofascial trigger point therapy (MTPT) and stretching, MTPT and medicine ball exercises, and no intervention, on hip flexor length (HFL), golf swing biomechanics and performance in elite, male golfers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Single blind, randomised controlled trial with two experimental groups (stretch group: MTPT and stretching; and the ball group: MTPT, a single stretch and medicine ball exercises) and one control group (no intervention).
  
  
  METHODS
  Professional golf academy.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred, elite, male golfers aged 16-25 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  HFL, 3D biomechanical analysis of the golf swing, club head speed (CHS), smash ratio, accuracy and distance at baseline and after the interventions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Backswing hip turn (BSHT) improved in the ball group relative to the control group (p = 0.0248). Accuracy in the ball group and the stretch group improved relative to the control group (Fisher's exact = 0.016).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Other performance parameters such as: smash ratio, distance and CHS were not compromised by either intervention. This study advocates the use of MTPT combined with medicine ball exercises over MTPT combined with stretching in the treatment of golfers with shortened hip flexors - even immediately preceding a tournament.
authors: Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 7 York Road, Parktown, Johannesburg, 2193, South Africa. Electronic address: samantha-lynn.quinn@wits.ac.za.
authors: Samantha-Lynn
authors: SL
authors: Quinn
authors: Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 7 York Road, Parktown, Johannesburg, 2193, South Africa. Electronic address: benita.olivier@wits.ac.za.
authors: Benita
authors: B
authors: Olivier
authors: Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 7 York Road, Parktown, Johannesburg, 2193, South Africa. Electronic address: wendswood@gmail.com.
authors: Wendy-Ann
authors: WA
authors: Wood
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D003163:Competitive Behavior; D006055:Golf / Q000502:physiology*; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D052580:Muscle Stretching Exercises; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D019876:Sports Equipment; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D061028:Trigger Points / Q000503:physiopathology*
keywords: Biomechanics; Golf swing; Hip flexors; Physiotherapy