Golf Stretches: Hip CARs (Controlled Articular Rotations) for Personalized Hip Mobility

Why Hip CARs Belong in Your Golf Mobility Toolbox

Golfers rely heavily on hip rotation to generate torque, transfer weight, and maintain posture through the swing. Yet not every golfer can—or should—force a “textbook” range of motion. Because hip anatomy varies from person to person, trying to push past your structural limits can lead to discomfort, blocked movement, or even bone-on-bone contact.

This is where Hip Controlled Articular Rotations (CARs) shine. Rather than aggressively stretching into positions you may not structurally achieve, Hip CARs help you groove the movement pattern within your unique anatomic range—improving functional mobility, joint health, and, ultimately, your golf swing.

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Understanding Hip Anatomy & Individual Variation

Before diving into the exercise, it’s critical to recognize that each golfer’s hip joint is built differently:

• Anteverted Hips: The femoral neck is rotated slightly forward, allowing greater internal rotation (IR) but less external rotation (ER).
• Retroverted Hips: The femoral neck is rotated backward, offering more ER but limiting IR.
• Normal (Neutroverted) Hips: Balanced IR and ER within a typical anatomic range.

Because we’re each born with different acetabular (socket) depth, femoral head angles, and joint architectures, there is no one-size-fits-all “normal” for hip rotation. If your hip is naturally retroverted, forcing deep internal rotation can cause impingement (bone on bone contact) and pain. Conversely, a highly anteverted hip may struggle to externally rotate without compensating elsewhere (lumbar spine or knees).

Key Takeaway:

• Assess your own starting point—don’t assume “everyone should get 45° IR.”
• Use hip CARs to explore and expand your personal ROM, not someone else’s.

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How to Perform Hip CARs for Golfers

Controlled Articular Rotations are slow, end-range–driven movements that maintain joint compression while mobilizing the entire hip capsule. Here’s how to do them safely:

1. Starting Position:
   • Stand next to a wall or use a chair for light support.
   • Shift your weight onto your right leg, keeping a slight bend in the knee.
   • The left leg (working hip) is lifted slightly off the ground.
2. Engage Your Core & Set the Hip:
   • Create intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) by bracing your core gently—imagine preparing for a punch.
   • Keep the right pelvis stable; avoid hiking or shifting.
3. Initiate the CAR (First Rep):
   • Reach your left knee forward into your chest as far as your hip allows without pain. Pause briefly at end range.
   • Rotate the thigh outward (external rotation) until you feel tension. Keep compressing the head of the femur into the acetabulum.
   • Move the left foot posteriorly, extending the hip back and slightly abducting (moving it away from midline) as far as comfortable.
   • Complete the circle by returning to the start position: rotate back inward (internal rotation) and bring the knee under the hip.
4. Control the Entire Circle:
   • Move slowly—each full rotation (front → out → back → in → start) should take 4–6 seconds.
   • Perform 3–5 reps per side, focusing on maintaining compression (no “loose” or “sloppy” end ranges).
5. Switch Sides:
   • After finishing on the left, shift weight and repeat on the right hip.

Coaching Tips:

• Maintain a neutral spine—avoid overarching or rounding.
• Keep the standing leg soft (slight knee bend) to absorb movement.
• Do not force movement into pain—stop AS SOON AS you feel joint pinch or sharp discomfort.
• Breathe throughout, exhaling at each end range to help “find” more mobility over time.

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Why Hip CARs Translate to a Better Golf Swing

1. Respects Your Structural Limits:
   • By moving slowly through YOUR anatomic ROM, you avoid impingement and improve quality of movement.
2. Enhances Functional Hip Rotation:
   • Rather than static stretching in one plane, you’re mobilizing the hip in all directions—mirroring the demands of a golf swing.
3. Preserves Joint Health:
   • Gentle compression throughout each arc encourages synovial fluid flow, nourishing cartilage and improving long-term joint resilience.
4. Improves Weight Shift and Sequencing:
   • Better hip rotation allows for smoother coil and uncoil, reducing compensations through the lower back and knees.
5. Builds Awareness & Control:
   • You train your nervous system to sense where your limits are, which improves balance and coordination under load.

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Golf Exercises for Seniors & Those with Hip Concerns

For golfers over 55 or anyone with known hip restrictions, CARs are a foundational mobility drill:

• You’re not forcing range beyond your architecture.
• You’re building safe movement patterns that gradually increase functional ROM.
• CARs help counteract decades of sitting, which often stiffens the hip capsule.

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Ready To Level Up Your Golf Game?