Why Golf Pros like Sports Massage
Get an Edge on Your Golf Game with Sports Massage
All athletes, including golf enthusiasts, look for an edge that can help them train more effectively and perform better. Sports massage for golf professionals and recreational golfers can increase flexibility, speed recovery time after rigorous practice and decrease your chance of injury. There’s a reason golf pros recommend massage for their golfers; it allows you to achieve your true golf potential. Keep reading to find out exactly why!
Massage Benefits for Golfers
A competitive athlete will push his or her body to the limit to achieve greater speed, endurance or power. This puts stress on the muscles and requires a great deal of recovery to avoid injury and overuse trauma.
Golfers are no exception to the risks of injury due to muscle overuse. The golf swing is one of the most complex and multifaceted movements in all of sports. There are various types of golf swings and varying theories on how to approach it, the intricacies of which can be overwhelming for golfers. They will spend years modifying and fine-tuning their swing.
Massage is a preventive, corrective, and rehabilitative treatment. Regular massage will help you avoid injury, enhance your performance, and allow you to play more pain-free golf.
Massage therapy does this by:
Increasing circulation
Reducing muscle spasms, trigger points, and scar tissue
Increases range of motion and muscle flexibility resulting in improved power and performance
Shortens recovery time by maximizing the supply of nutrients and oxygen to muscle tissue through increased blood flow
Decreasing anxiety and stress levels
Boosting mental focus and alertness on the green
Reduces chance of injury
Enhances elimination of the metabolic by-products of exercise
Perhaps the most important of these benefits for golfers is improving range of motion and muscle flexibility. This leads to increased power and performance. The power of your golf swing is mainly determined by the height of your backswing. The higher your backswing is, the more powerful your swing and follow-through will be.
Preventing Common Golf Injuries
Two very common injury sites for golfers are the low back and elbow (golfer’s elbow). Massage helps golfers recover from injuries and prevent future injuries and/or muscle spasms.
Did you know: Golfers who carry their own bag experience twice the rate of low back and shoulder injury compared to golfers who do not carry a bag*.
Low Back
To help prevent lower back pain and injuries, trunk rotation and hip flexibility may be your massage therapists' primary areas of focus.
Golfer’s Elbow
Golfer’s elbow occurs on the inside of the elbow (the medial epicondyle). This pain may result in tenderness or tingling at the inside of the elbow. It is usually caused by overworking the muscles, holding the club incorrectly, or overcompensating in your forearms when you swing. During your sessions, we’ll focus on releasing tension in the forearm flexors.
Our sports massage therapists are here to help alleviate your or your client’s pain. Contact us today to schedule a therapy appointment at our South Tampa studio.
When should I get a sports massage?
Massage can be beneficial to golfers both before and after a round on the links. After all, golfing uses several muscle groups: wrists, arms, shoulders, back, and legs. This puts a lot of stress on your body, but regular massage can relieve that stress and tension from repetitive swinging.
Remember: if you choose before your round, you’ll want to book your massage appointment at least 48 hours before tee time. Otherwise, you may feel sore or can’t use your muscles as well if you try to play immediately after a deep-tissue sports massage.
Keeping Your Clients on the Course
We understand the unique needs of golfers. We help players of all levels with customized massage treatments. Think of us as your secret weapon. Our specialists can help decrease your chances of injury, quicken recovery—and the best part increase performance on the golf course.
Golfers benefit from deep tissue massage or sports massage, during which our licensed massage therapists will manipulate fascia (the connective tissue that binds muscles, bones, organs, nerves, and blood vessels) to restore balance and increase performance.
Experience the difference of Tampa Bay Sports & Medical Massage. Contact our South Tampa massage therapy center today to book your appointment!