Objective: To determine whether there is side to side difference of the trunk rotation muscle in Korean male professional golf players. Healthy controls who did not play golf were also evaluated and compared with professional golf players.
Method: Fifty-one professional golf players and 50 healthy controls participated in this study. Bilateral isokinetic trunk rotation strength that represented the aiming side and non-aiming side trunk rotator function in a golf swing and other parameters were evaluated using the Biodex System III Isokinetic Dynamometer at angular velocities of 30, 60, and 120 degree per second.
Results: The professional golf players' peak torque and total work on their aiming sides were significantly higher than on their non-aiming side at all angular velocities. Additionally, the golf players' peak torque on their aiming side was significantly higher than those of the healthy controls only at the 60 degree per second angular velocity, but there was a slight and consistent trend in the others. Finally, the difference between the aiming side and the non-aiming side of the professional golf players and the healthy controls was also significant.
Conclusion: The aiming side rotation strength of the male professional golf players was higher than that of non-aiming side. The controls showed no side-to-side differences. This finding is attributed to the repetitive training and practice of professional golf players. A further study is needed to investigate if the strengthening of the trunk rotation muscle, especially on the aiming side, could improve golf performance.
Keywords: Golf; Muscle strength; Rotation; Torso.