Biomechanical impact: spinal elongation and shrinkage in golf putting

Putting constitutes nearly half of a golfer's total strokes per round, demanding precision, accuracy, and control (1). Spinal overextension results in strains and sprains in supporting ligaments and muscles, while spinal compression, leading to issues like trapped nerves, occurs as the spine comes closer together (2; 3). The absence of studies using motion capture systems creates uncertainty about the optimal method for measuring spinal changes during golf putting. Therefore, this study applied kinematic techniques to investigate how slope and distance constraints impact spinal elongation and shrinkage of the Lumbar and Thoracic regions during golf putting at 3ft and 7ft distances.