Chiropractic Santa Barbara Advises: If You'd Like to Avoid Golf Injuries, Get Ready!

Posted on 16. Aug, 2009 by admin in sports injuries

Chiropractic Santa Barbara treats hundreds of individuals, adults and children alike, who have sustained sports injuries. With any kind of sport, injuries are commonplace. You can often avoid getting injured in a particular sport by discovering what injury is likely to occur, and then do as much as you can to avoid it. The Truth is, however, that sports injuries can’t always be avoided. Consequently, it’s important to be in good physical shape to make injury less probable, or less traumatic.   Prior to starting a sport, such as golf, the most valuable thing you can do is to be sure that you have an appropriate fitness level. By cultivating a healthy lifestyle, making sure your joints are mobile and your muscles are limber, warming and stretching your body before activity, using proper form and good postures while actively playing, and giving yourself an appropriate amount of cool down and relaxation time, you will probably keep your body safe from injury.

Golf injuries don’t just happen to amateurs. It has been conjectured that almost a third of pro golfers playing concurrently are playing with injuries. Fortunately, general good health and fitness can reduce the number of injuries that you may experience and may actually preclude them completely.

Good body strength in the muscle regions most used when golfing is very important. However, before you try to build muscle strength, it’s important to make certain your spine is aligned and has good mobility. A successful golf swing is contingent upon your spine’s facility to adequately move in a rotational fashion. Back injuries are the most common sort of injuries sustained by golfers. Your chiropractor will insure that your spine is in healthy alignment and that there is efficient movement of the vertebrae. Chiropractic treatment can make a big difference in helping you to avoid back injury.

Once you’re “straightened” it’s time to strengthen. Being prepared for your golf game is paramount to a safe, injury-free day on the green. Golf stretching and flexibility practices will warm up your muscles and make straining them less likely. Full body range of motion (ROM) exercises will increase flexibility, fairly speedily, in all regions of the body. Furthermore, elastic band conditioning offers targeted golf range of motion improvements and can build needed power in the shoulders, hips and deep muscles of the core. Sports professionals, like your chiropractor, are adding elastic band training to their golf conditioning programs because the bands provide dynamic resistance that regular weight lifting does not supply.

Along with back injuries, a large number of golfers have painful “Golfer’s Elbow.” There is a minor difference between golfer’s elbow and tennis elbow though they are almost the same. Whereas the outside of the upper arm is affected in tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow impinges the inner arm. Golfer’s elbow, like tennis elbow, can be the consequence of a single intense action, such as (in golf) striking the mat at the driving range or hitting a hard fairway surface. Repetitive stress from smaller shocks, however, is generally the reason. Moreover, it can come upon those who all of a sudden begin to play too much golf. As a case in point, if those that generally play golf once or twice a month decide to play in a tournament, they are likely at risk for contracting the injury.

Golf makes exclusive requests of our body. The game is usually longer than most other sports and that can cause fatigue. Unhealthy posture and lack of coordination are normally the signs of a fatigued body. This combination can cause an assortment of injuries. In addition, because of the continuous swinging of the golf clubs, the shoulder muscles are subject to injury. Just as it is crucial for you to stretch and warm up before you start your golf game, be sure to rest your body suitable between games.

An unexpected injury occasionally associated with golf is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. But, because it a condition that comes about due to repetitive stress, many games of golf played over several months continuously may cause this injury. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can be a severe injury producing disability and occasionally needing surgery. However, if a health professional, such as your chiropractor, discovers it at an early stage, chiropractic management and, frequently, the use of a brace will alleviate the problem.

Injuries are assumed to be unavoidable part of life for most golfers. But, a healthy, mobile spine, good preparation, proper exercise and muscle conditioning, attaining and maintaining a an appropriate fitness level, and sensible rest and recuperation after your game is over, can help to make injuries a good deal less a part of your golfing experience.

Technorati Tags: , , , ,

Chiropractic Santa Barbara: What You Should Know About Elbow Pain

Posted on 12. Mar, 2009 by admin in Chiropractic Santa Barbara, elbow pain

Chiropractic Santa Barbara wants you to know as much as possible about elbow pain. Tennis Elbow, the typical name for pain emanating from the outside, or lateral side, of the elbow happens when one or more tendons of the forearm muscles become irritated or inflamed. These tendons join to the bony protuberance close to the elbow joint, referred to the lateral epicondyle, hence the medical name, “lateral epicondylitis,” in essence inflammation of the epicondyle.

If the affliction is located on the inside, or medial side, of the elbow it is often called Golfer’s Elbow or medial epicondylitis. This, however, is not as prevalent as lateral epicondylitis. There are many whys and wherefores for epicondylitis – not just tennis and golf – as any activity or sport that requires repetitive gripping of objects can result in this problem.

Inappropriate wrist and arm posture while carrying heavy bags, knitting, chopping food, and/or using a computer can also cause “tennis” or “golfer’s” elbow. With sports, the condition occurs when a person,  who is new to a particular game, uses an awkward technique, tries out new rackets or clubs, or adds to the intensity or duration of exercise without effective preparation. On occasion cases involving epicondylitis can be attributed to complications farther up the arm or even in the neck.

If an individual has a disc complication or spinal subluxation, the nerves that control the forearm muscles may become inflamed producing tense muscles and putting heightened strain on the tendon attachment(s).  This creates a predisposition to elbow pain whatever the exacerbating cause. If ignored, joints of the elbow can become subluxated further, and even arthritis can be a complication of the condition.

Examination and treatment by a qualified chiropractor, such as your Santa Barbara chiropractor can fix the problem and eliminate future complications. Epicondylitis is a condition that rarely resolves of its own accord and so requires proper health management. A qualified professional such as a chiropractor can determine the exact cause of the problem and initiate the proper care and treatment. In a chiropractic clinic this might include modalities such as ultrasound, electro-therapy, massage, hot and cold therapies, bracing, and home stretching and exercises. Chiropractic care has proved, in the majority of instances, to be extraordinarily beneficial in the most comprehensive management of this problem.

Technorati Tags: , , , ,