I have recent taken up the game of disc golf after several years out of the sport. To get back into form I have been spending a lot of time on our local football fields brushing up on my drives but recently I have been experiencing some pain in my right knee.

I am a right handed player and I tend to put a pretty good twist on my right knee during my follow through. I have reviewed several videos of the pros but I still question whether or not my technique is correct.

My questions are these:
1. during my follow through should the toes of my right foot be pointing at the target or perpendicular to the target? Pointing my toes at the target as I release the disc seems to relieve some stress on my knee and forces me to push my hips forward a bit more but I am not sure if this is good form.
2. I practice on grass all the time. Should I change my practice surface to sand or gravel such as a ball field?

What are your recommendations?

My knee thanks you for your input!

I point my right foot to the target whenever I throw and I don't feel any pain at all in it. If you plant with your foot parallel to the end of the teebox (assuming it's a rectangle), you'll put alot more stress on your knee during the twisting follow through, so try and point your toe straight to the pin.
After the follow through, my left leg comes around and I end in a position just like a pitcher after he's thrown the pitch. It looks like I'm ready to walk in the direction of the pin/fairway.

As far as practicing surfaces, I don't think it's that big a deal as I always pratice on grass, but I would definitely not recommend gravel, especially that with less fine pebbles. There are tons of places on gravel where you can really mess up, fall, or pull out your knee or something like that. Sand I've never liked because it gives in to your foot, so you don't have a solid landing site. If you start pointing your toe to where you're throwing, it shouldnt matter where you practice.

during the follow through, they should be pointed somewhat at the target (or directly at).

from the sound of it you may be
1) jamming your foot going into the pivot and torquing it a bit.
2) torquing the knee as you complete your follow through.

if it's 1) focusing on weight forward, pivoting on a bent knee, and/or changing the angle of your foot placement (of the pivot foot) to a more knee friendly angle such as 45 degrees or less away from the target when it first hits the ground.

if it's 2) my advice would be to make sure you get a clean pivot on the ball of your foot and try stepping through the pivot with your off leg as you follow through.

1. during my follow through should the toes of my right foot be pointing at the target or perpendicular to the target? Pointing my toes at the target as I release the disc seems to relieve some stress on my knee and forces me to push my hips forward a bit more but I am not sure if this is good form.




From what I understand, during the hit your front foot should be either perpendicular to the target, or slightly angled tward the target. During the follow through, though, your front foot should swivel and your body should swing around so your front foot ends up being your back foot. It will probably swivel 180 degrees total.

Here's part of an article that describes the motion. Read the whole thing, though...it's very useful.

http://www.discgolfreview.com/resources/articles/distancesecrets.shtml#pull

Thanks for the link!

Now that I think about it, I tend to step out too far on my last step and end up planting my heal rather than staying on the ball of my foot. I think I am going to view a few more vids and take a closer look at that foot position. If I plant my heal it's much more difficult to get the pivot. It's not as if I am golfing in cleats and plant them in the turf...I usually golf in Chuckie T's.

Staying on the ball of my foot is going put my body weight forward more and help promote the follow through also...maybe I will ice my knee for a few days and get back out there.

You are getting right internal tibial rotation ( same as external femoral rotation). You could a have a few issues with the knee:

Poor support from the muscle surrounding the knee

Anterior horn of the lateral meniscus damage

Posterior horn of the medial meniscus

Lateral collateral ligament issues.

The above is assuming that the forward most leg is the right leg ("goofy" stance)

If pain persists, ge checked out by a physical therapist or orthopedist.

You are getting right internal tibial rotation ( same as external femoral rotation). You could a have a few issues with the knee:

Poor support from the muscle surrounding the knee

Anterior horn of the lateral meniscus damage

Posterior horn of the medial meniscus

Lateral collateral ligament issues.

The above is assuming that the forward most leg is the right leg ("goofy" stance)

If pain persists, ge checked out by a physical therapist or orthopedist.



What?
is this an AMA thread?? i got lost somehow.
:)
all smiles

I broke my knee at the growth plate when I was 6, so my knee is not as strong as it should be. I find that I can throw all day on the course for over 6 hours, but if I throw more than 10 times in a grass field, I have to call the ambulance to come pick me up.

I know the only problem is that the twisting in my follow through puts alot of stress on my knee. Remember, you can step off the teepad and take steps after you have released the disc. You don't have to stop yourself.

A quick fix is to get less grippy shoes such as vans, which allow your leg to rotate through. If that's not an option, tee off from something less grippy, like gravel, concrete, dirt.

The bottom line is, if it hurts, stop.

Thanks for all the helpful input! In addition to your advice I have also consulted my Chiropractor. In general, I have found that I need to do some things to strengthen several major muscle groups in my body to help prevent injury. I am currently putting together a training program of light weight training and some cardio as well. In all it should not take me more that 30 to 40 minutes per day and I think it will make a big difference.

I have also cut my time on the golf course to 1 or 2 rounds a week to give my knee a rest. I have not had any swelling in the knee but I usually ice it anyway because it makes the girls feel sorry for me. ;)

I also got a new pair of shoes that do not have as much flex in the sole (vans). This help prevent my foot from twisting and thus my knee does not twist so much either.

The sucker is still sore but I think over time it will get better. There's no way I am going to stop playing!

Heck yeah dude! If all else fails, just throw stationary sidearms!