Feel Good Throughout Golf Season with Regular Massage Therapy Appointments
If you're an avid golfer, the arrival of summer means that you're spending as much of your free time as possible at the golf course. While this sport is an ideal way to keep active, the repetitive movements you use with your swing could lead to muscle pain that could keep you off the course while you recover. Don't wait for a golf injury to visit your local massage therapist. If you schedule some appointments throughout the season, your massage therapist can keep your golfing muscles loose and limbered up so that you feel good from the first hole through the eighteenth. Here are some parts of your body on which to focus.
Rotator Cuffs
Each time that you swing a golf club, your rotator cuffs get a solid workout. Given that you might swing more than 100 times over the course of your round, your rotator cuffs (found in your shoulders) can certainly get sore. The last thing you need is a repetitive strain injury that limits your ability to golf, so it's a good idea to ask your massage therapist to dedicate some of your appointment to helping improve the flexibility of these muscles to reduce the emergence of stiffness and discomfort.
Lats
Technically known as your latissimus dorsi, these large muscles are located on the sides of your back and play a key role during a golf swing. When these muscles are tight, you'll experience a limited range of motion, and this can be detrimental to a fluid, broad golf swing. When overworked, your lats will be stiff and sore, limiting your ability to drive the ball with any amount of power. Your massage therapist will apply pressure to several key spots on these muscles to reduce restrictions, work out knots, and make you feel better, and you'll certainly notice the improved mobility when you tee off to start your next round.
Wrist and Inner Forearm
Some golfers develop pain in their wrists and inner forearms similar to the discomfort experienced by those who suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome. This pain can make each shot downright uncomfortable, and you could even experience severe, shooting pain when your club makes hard contact with the ground on an errant swing. By gently working in these areas, the massage therapist will work to reduce restrictions in the muscles and improve the circulation, which will help reduce pain in these areas.
To make an appointment with a massage therapist, call places like Gulf Coast Massage & Skin Care to compare prices and specialties.
