Friday, January 30, 2009

Improve Your Golf Swing with Massage Therapy

By Steve Esquire

Your golf swing is everything to having a good golf game. Your swing involves the coordination of many different muscle groups in tandem. If any of them are off, then so is your swing and the ball will be off the mark. Proper warm up before playing a round helps get your muscles groups working together. This may include stretching, calisthenics and massage therapy. It is vital to get your body prepared properly for the physical activity of swinging your clubs. Massage therapy delivered with a massage chair is an effective way to get your body and muscles loosened up for your next round of golf.

Golf although it is a low aerobic sport, still puts significant stress on the body. The repetitive nature of the swing puts disproportionate stress on the lower back, wrist, elbow, shoulder, knees and hips. These areas must work in tandem to produce a true swing. If there is tightness or soreness, then the body tends to compensate. This affects the outcome of your swing and where your ball will go. Proper warm up and stretching helps to loosen muscles and prepare them to work harmoniously together.

The regions that need proper stretching are your shoulders, arms, back, hips and legs. Develop and sustain a stretching routine prior to playing. Make sure you hit all the above listed areas. Calisthenics are another important element to add to your routine. Walking also helps you get your body ready. Using a massage chair to loosen up tight muscles and tendons helps your muscles in addition to stretching.

Massage chair recliners include the most effective massage therapies such as Shiatsu, Swedish, Sports and Deep Tissue massages. You have many controls to pinpoint exactly where you need the most attention. Pre-game massages can increase the circulation of blood and lymph, loosen sore or tight muscles and even increase your mental awareness. Professional athletes use massage therapy to give them an edge and perform at their best. When getting a massage, be sure to drink a cup of water for proper hydration.

An area of particular importance is the lower back. Most golfers complain about lower back pain. The lower back or lumbar area is the fulcrum of your swing. The leverage in your swing is a function of this pivot point. This is used repetitively throughout the day on every swing. It is vitally important that the major muscle groups used in this area are effectively warmed up. This includes the low back, hips and legs. These areas need to be warmed up and stretched. A good warm up includes the application of heat to enhance blood flow and a penetrating deep tissue massage.

What can cause injuries during the golf game? Many golf injuries come from over-swinging, poor swing mechanics, hitting the ground or excessively twisting during your swing. Most of these can be prevented. If you warm up correctly, then you can reduce the chance of these happening to you. As you can see, the swing is where the vast majority of golf related injuries can occur. Be smart and get a routine warm up to help prevent these happening to you. Your warm up must be thorough and consistent to help reduce injury. Furthermore, know your own personal limits and do not push your limits too far.

You should seriously consider adding massage therapy as part of your warm up like professional athletes do. Sports massage is part and parcel of the proper warm up to help achieve peak performance. You want to make sure all the major muscle groups that constitute your golf swing are included. This also helps reduce the chance of injury and increases your longevity. Do not wait until you are injured. Once injuries start to occur, then it is difficult to fully recover. Your golf swing is very sensitive to problems such as injuries which can affect your game permanently. Get a great sports massage with a massage chair recliner and get your swing the best it can be. - 16650

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