Massage Therapy and Your Golf Game

If you play golf then you know the importance of having a good swing. Your swing makes or breaks your golf game. The follow through and mechanics of your swing are very important to long term success. To ensure you have a consistent swing, it is vital to warm up your muscles, joints and tendons prior to playing. Proper warm up consists of stretching, light exercise and massage. These are important to get your body prepared for the repetitive physical activity that it must perform. Now you may not know that a massage chair can be an effective part of your pre-golf game.

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.

Now when you warm up you should be stretching out the following areas: back, arms, legs, hips, shoulders. Get a stretching routine down, so you work all the areas each time. You will want to do some warm up exercises and perhaps some walking to loosen the muscles. Massage therapy should also be included to loosen up the lower back, hips, shoulders and legs. Massage chairs are particularly effective in this regard. They can provide targeted Swedish and deep tissue massage to these areas. Also the application of heat helps with blood circulation and muscle relaxation. Massage also increases alertness helping concentration during the game. Massage should be performed prior to action, because if inflammation occurs, then there are limited therapies that can reverse it. When getting a pre-game massage remember to obtain adequate 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.

Injury prevention is important for your long term golf game. Many injuries can be prevented and totally avoided. Some of the common causes of injuries are from poor swing mechanics, hitting the ground, too little warm up, over-swinging and twisting during the swing. Most injuries are related to the golf swing. This is where people can through out their backs or swing too hard hurting their elbow. Most of these causes can be substantially reduced by performing a proper warm up. Know your body and keep in tune with it, so you do not over-exert and injure yourself.

Your golf game can really be improved with massage therapy as part of the warm up. Of course, warming down is also important. If you are playing a few times a week, then it is really important to establish a warm up routine. This way you make sure that all of your muscle groups are adequately prepared for the physical exertion. Most people think of getting a massage when the experience soreness or discomfort. Unfortunately, this is trying to fix the symptom rather than the cause. Massage has many benefits and can help improve your game and your golf attitude. The most convenient and economical way to add massage to your game is with a massage chair recliner. If your swing is on, then life is good. When your swing is off, well then you will need a lot of Mulligans.