"Bionic" Knees

For the greater part of my teaching career any questions I was asked about knees and the golf swing was really about bad knees. Knees that were beat up playing football, baseball, hockey and other sports. Knees so bad that they needed surgery to correct torn ligaments and other problems. They were functional but not anywhere near optimal in performance. The questions were always the same, asking if there are any setup and swing adjustments to reduce stress and strain on them — and pain. Now the knee questions are often of a new and different nature as Steve reveals as he asks for help with his new '€œreplacement'€ knees.

Steve says:
I just had my second knee replacement so I have two new knees. My first knee replacement was my left knee. I was playing pretty good golf afterward, keeping my handicap at around 6. But after a few months it started going up because my right knee started bothering me and my handicap had ballooned to a 12. So I went in and had my right knee replaced. So my question to you is, do you have any advice on how I should approach my golfing to get back to a single digit handicap? Any advice would be appreciated.

The Surge says:
The first approach is to listen to your doctor and therapist and do all the exercises for flexibility, strength and conditioning programs they recommend for re-hab and then for maintenance. You need to get back in condition and continue working out to maintain your strength and flexibility. The next issue setup and swing adjustments that can relieve stress on the knees as well as the hips and lower back. These adjustments are the same for knee replacements as they are for banged up knees that have been surgically repaired for torn ligaments and other damage.

The PPGS setup advocates both feet be flared 30 degrees at address. The reason is this allows the knees to externally rotate together in harmony while remaining flexed. The PPGS advocates limited upper torso hip and shoulder turn in the backswing. We basically limit and control this turn by resisting movement of the knees in the backswing, specifically focusing on the forward knee. We want the forward knee to resist moving inward in the back swing turn and move inward no more than an inch or two. With this limited backswing forward knee movement, the knees remain flexed as both knees externally rotate in the same direction. This moving together in the same direction and remaining flexed reduces the stress on the knees, hips and lower back.

The bigger and more important issue that will produce even more stress and strain is the transition and weight shift to the forward side, swinging up to the T '€“ Finish. The forward knee has to rotate much more to clear the front side to rotate to finish square to the target. Add to the more powerful and greater degree of rotation and the weight shifting over and onto an in-line forward leg. The forward knee is receiving the effect of some big forces placing stress on it.

To reduce these stresses on the knee, hips and lower back, the forward foot can be flared open more than the recommended 30 degrees to as much as 45 to 60 degrees. The key to remember is that as you flare your foot more open, the toes must be kept positioned on and touching the toe line. (Note: If you flare the foot by just turning it outward from the heel and remove the toes from the toe line, which is parallel to the aiming line, you will actually be opening your stance).

The other vitally important point that must be made here is that how much you flare your feet past 30 degrees is a matter of what you personally need to have a smooth, flowing and powerful weight transfer through impact and on up to the T '€“ Finish'€¦IN BALANCE. The PPG setup and swing teaches everyone the same setup and swing. But not everyone sets up and swings exactly the same. The Mission Statement of the PPGS defines this well. The goal of PPG '€œis to help every golfer build the best setup and swing they are physically and mentally able to do for their abilities and liabilities to maximize the laws of physics and physiology.'€

This means there are acceptable parameters that allow variations from the norm within reasonable parameters to fit the individual. The key is that the golfer has to be able to setup and swing in '€œDynamic Balance.'€ Thus, each golfer needs to test, through trial and error, the slight adjustments in the flaring of his feet to find the optimum amount of flare that provides dynamic balance, reduces stress and strain and still delivers power and speed throughout the swing, especially to the T '€“ Finish.

This also means that a golfer, like myself, who still has his original knees and has never had knee problems and knee surgery can, for other reasons, need more flare in their feet at address. My feet point outward much beyond the norm and I need more flare in both feet, especially the forward foot, to be able to swing through and up to the finish, square to the target. I need the extra flare, first and foremost, just to be able to turn and reach a square to the target finish. Second, I need the flare to reduce the stress on my forward knee and ankle as well as my hips and lower back. I have written a few articles about this and they should be in the archives.

So, to relieve stress and strain in your knees and back, put a little more flare in your feet at address. You will see more '€œflair'€ in your swing and in lower numbers on your scorecard.

The Surge!