IOG Phyiotherapy Articles

As the golfing community becomes more and more knowledgeable about how the body effects the golf swing, the IOG team has become more and more busy writing articles in popular golfing magazines. You may have seen them published in such popular magazines as The Cut and the New Zealand Golfing Magazine to name a few.

Just so you can keep up to date on these articles if you may have missed them we will be putting them on the IOG site for your reference. This way you get the benefits of reading the magazines without having to pay!

Coreshortsfrom Brad Takai

Under Armour Coreshorts BELIEVE IN THE X

Stabilize your core.  Activate your speed.

The use of compression is widely used by top athletes throughout the world to enhance physical performance and to help them achieve there maximum in all major sports.  Compression performance apparel is now being used amongst some of the worlds top golfers.

Strength and stability through the core muscles around the abdomen, pelvis and hips are vital for an efficient, consistent, and powerful golfswing.   Under Armours Patented X Band Coreshorts supports the ENTIRE core to boost speed & muscular performance.  They are anatomically constructed to enable you to forget about injury & expect energy in return.

Coreshorts deliver stability to the lower back, hips and pelvis, supporting the groin, quads, gluts, and hamstrings.  Your core moves the way it should… your joints and muscles stay protected.  Coreshorts create efficient movement through the core, and helps your muscles activate faster, stronger and more powerful.

STABILIZE

STABILIZE
Stabilizes core without obstructing the right movements
JOINTS
Tension generated by X band keeps joints aligned
PROTECTION
Preventative/protective enhancement for core muscle groups & joints

ACTIVATE

CORE
Activates your body’s power center: the core
MUSCLES
Aligns muscle groups and keeps them aligned
EFFICIENT
Efficient movements = More speed, power and precision

For more information about UA Coreshorts or other UA golf performance apparel, contact the Institute of Golf.

Osteoarthritisfrom Brad Takai

Osteoarthritis and Golf

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. Almost half of all people over the age of 60 and virtually all over the age of 80 will have osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis has been called “wear and tear” or “degenerative” arthritis. It occurs as a result of mechanical breakdown in the structures affecting the joints. This happens most often in the large weight bearing joints – the knees, hips and spine. It often occurs in the hands, but rarely in the feet or ankles apart from the big toe. Except as a result of injury or stress, osteoarthritis seldom affects the wrist, elbow, shoulder or jaw.

How does it affect the joints?

In a normal joint a firm rubbery material called cartilage covers the end of each bone. This joint cartilage acts as a cushion, or shock absorber, providing a smooth, slippery surface between the bones.

The bones in the joints are held together by ligaments and tendons, which act as strong flexible cables and allow movement in the right directions. All of these are completely enclosed in a capsule and the joint is lined by a thin synovial membrane which releases a slippery fluid into the enclosed joint space.

The first major change in a joint with osteoarthritis is that the smooth cartilage surface softens and becomes pitted and, with time, sections of cartilage may be worn away completely, leaving the ends of the bones unprotected.  Without their normal gliding surface, joints become painful and difficult to move. As the cartilage breaks down further, the joint loses its shape, the bone underneath thickens and grows out at the sides (like spurs) further reducing movement.

Should i stop playing golf?

The simple answer is no!  When a person is diagnosed with arthritis, he or she often stops all physical activity like golf.    Provided you have a safe and efficient golfswing that minimizes the compressive and torsional loading on your arthritic joints then golf is an excellent way to maintain a stronger and healthier body.  Golf will help maintain your bodies joint range of motion, but not only that, the regular walking is great for your heart and lungs!

How to play golf with arthritis……

• Have a regular stretching routine to improve your flexibility.  Your golf physiotherapist or Trainer will be able to prescribe you a personalized stretching programme.
• Maintain and improve your muscle strength to help support the joints in your body.  You should avoid resistance exercises that increase the compressive loading on your joints.  Consult your physiotherapist or trainer for a personalized strengthening programme to help with your arthritis.
• See a Golf Specialized physiotherapist.  There understanding of the body and golf swing mechanics will help identify exactly what your individual physical limitations are and will be able to work with your golf professional to help create a safe swing for you.
• See your golf professional to ensure that your golf swing mechanics are not putting excessive pressure on your joints.
• Be sure to warm up before you head on to the course!   It’s a routine that everyone should follow if they want to play their best. Loosen up your neck and back, then concentrate on adding flexibility relative to your rotational motion.
• Check into devices like wrist or knee braces and gloves that are made especially for people with arthritis. Many of them take the pressure off your joints which makes it much easier to play the game. Again, consult a golf specialized physiotherapist for advice on this.
• Keep your weight under control. Increased weight will place greater strain on your joints. That’s especially true on the golf course, where you will be calling on your body to perform various tasks in addition to walking great distances. Consult your doctor or a nutritionist for advice on your diet to help you loose weight.

Note: If you are finding that you golfing is making your arthritis pain worse then it is important that you consult your doctor or physiotherapist.

For more information on osteoarthritis and golf contact the Institute of Golf medical team

Kenesio Tapingfrom Brad Takai

Kinesio Tape to reduce pain and enhance golf performance

Im sure you have all seen the brightly coloured tape applied to rugby players knees, volleyball and tennis players shoulders and basketballers calves!  Its called Kinesio Tape, and it has recently taken the sporting world by storm.  But in fact it has been around for decades.

Kinesio Taping involves taping over and around muscles to help either improve muscle activation and contraction, or to inhibit the muscle to prevent it from working too hard.  This unique type of muscle facilitation or inhibition technique helps to support joints while maintaining or improving range of motion, or to help fight against the overuse of muscle work.

The Institute of Golf Physiotherapy team are certified in kinesio taping application.  By combining the knowledge of golf swing biomechanics and ideal golf muscle patterns, with kinesio taping principles, our physiotherapists are able to help both reduce golf related pain as well as improve overall golfing performance.

Benefits of Kinesio Taping for Golfers include:

• Reduced muscle and joint pain
• Improved joint support and stability
• Postural correction
• Improved joint range of motion
• Improved muscle strength and power which will help increase power generation driving distance!

And not only that, it will help with all of your other aches and pains such as:

• Lower back or neck pain
• Tennis an golfers elbow
• Rotator cuff injuries
• Muscle strains

If you would like to know more about kinesio taping for golfers then contact the institute of golf team and find out what its all about!

Rotatefrom The Cut

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Stretch out your playing daysfrom The Cut

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Kids must play it safefrom The Cut