Does The Stack And Tilt Increase The Risk of Injury?

A lot of golf pro’s that oppose “the system” claim it is hard on the back. Their claim is an average player risks injury due to the reverse pivot and the pressure that puts on the back. It has been document that a reverse pivot is bad for the back. When someone is properly executing a stack and tilt golf swing however, there is no reverse pivot. Instead of a reverse pivot, there is an extension of the spine. This aspect of the golf swing has lead some to believe the stack and tilt is not only safe, but the safest way to swing a golf club.

Why Is The Stack And Tilt Golf Swing Best For Your Back?

The experts said it, not me. According to an article published at John Graham Golf, A recognized expert stated stack and tilt, when executed properly, is the safest golf swing for your back. Dr. Van Biezen made the claim. He is certified in Active Release Therapy and is a recognized expert in the field, according to TPI founder, Dave Phillips. That is a significant claim considering the opposition has touted how bad it is for the back. If we look at how the spine is made up, it becomes more clear why stack and tilt might actually be the best swing for your back.

Thanks to a detailed article at Forward Golf by Matt Diederichs we can get a better understanding about why a spine extension is better for the back. Diederichs explained the spine’s three sections and how the are designed to work.

“The Lumbar curve is designed to be stable, the Thoracic curve mobile, and the Cervical curve stable. That means that regardless of your swing style, any extension that you create with the lumbar spine is going to cause you back pain.” -Matt Diederichs

It seems then, that any swing that promotes an extension of the Thoracic curve (middle) will be safer than any other swing. This is because it is moving as it was naturally designed to move. Dr. Van Biezen’s statement is starting to make a bit more sense now!

What Actually Increases The Risk Of Back Injury?

The golf swing in general puts a beating on your body. From what I have read, lower back pain can be caused due an unstable lumbar throughout the golf swing. As Diedrichs pointed out, the lumbar is designed to be stable. In order for the lumbar to be stabilized a player must have sufficient core strength to keep it in place. If a player does not have the core strength necessary to keep it immobilized, even in the stack and tilt golf swing, they are risking injury to the lower back.

There has been a lot of discussion about the stack and tilt golf swing increasing the risk of injury. It seems poor physical fitness is in fact the culprit. The fact that a Thoracic extension is in fact better for the back would explain why so many players claim an improvement in their backs condition after switching to the stack and tilt. As more details about Plummer and Bennett’s golf swing come out my opinion is starting to lean more and more in favor of its fundamentals.

Return to the Stack and Tilt Golf Swing 101 resource.