Over 200 types of restricted growth are considered ‘dwarfism conditions’, the most common being achondroplasia.
An individual participating in sports can be involved in most activities, and the Dwarf Sports Association UK (DSAuk) is one of the leading organisations for sports for people with dwarfism conditions.
DSAuk believes sport is essential for participants’ development and peer integration. Many restricted-growth athletes access and enjoy a spectrum of sports. Golf is an extremely popular activity for people with restricted growth. EDGA has worked closely with the DSAuk to develop a coaching and player pathway for golfers with restricted growth.
Regular exercise can make a big difference to the lifestyle and well-being of a person with restricted growth.
There are several skeletal and potential joint-stability problems that golf coaches should bear in mind when working with participants with restricted growth:
- Many people with achondroplasia have a kyphosis or scoliosis of their spine. Constant shock to the back can cause damage to this area.
- Participants may have spinal stenosis, a pinching of the spinal column caused by restricted space within the vertebrae for the spinal column to pass through.
- People with restricted growth can have quite relaxed joints and instability in their elbows, hips, and knees. This is usually seen in extremely flexible joints. However, this can be advantageous in developing greater motion, swing arc length, and speed. Many athletes have bowing of the legs, which may result in problems with their ankles and affect pressure distribution within the golf swing.
However, the more involved individuals are in regular exercise, the better the muscle tone around problem areas is maintained, and, therefore, the more stable these joints become.
- Talk to the golfer, complete your research into their individual condition, and be prepared to share your findings in your next coaching session with the individual.
- Provide a selection of modified equipment – different lengths, weights, materials, and handle sizes, and support the player with a professional equipment fitting when appropriate.
- When using traditional equipment, ensure that the static and dynamic ‘lie-angles’ are suitable for developing control over direction and consistency.
- Relate the game to other sports. Players with restricted growth are usually very active in different sports, so the coach can find commonalities to draw upon in the golf coaching session.
- Restricted growth players can produce high levels of clubhead and ball speed. These players can frequently develop sequenced motion patterns, which may include more head rotation to maximise swing/arc length.
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