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GOLF FITNESS: IMPROVE YOUR BODY...IMPROVE YOUR GAME
Prevention of Rotator Cuff Injuries
 
Shoulder problems in golf are commonly overuse injuries, but traumatic injuries do occur. Injuries to muscles and tendons (tissues that attach muscles to bones) range from minor strains to complete tears. Strains occur when the muscle or tendon is pulled but does not completely tear. The rotator cuff muscles of the shoulder and their tendons are very active throughout the golf swing.
Studies of professional golfers have shown that the rotator cuff and especially the subscapularis muscle are highly active throughout the swing. Repeated stress to a degenerated tendon may lead to fiber failure, producing symptoms of bursitis or tendonitis. In cases of significant failure, the golfer will feel pain and weakness elevating the shoulder.
Ways To Avoid Rotator Cuff Injuries:
1. Get a Proper Warm-up - Ideally, arrive at the course with time to hit a bucket of balls before your tee time. Too often, however, we are making a mad dash from our car to the 1st Tee. If that's the case, take the longest route possible. A 5 - 10 minute walk around the parking lot is often enough to increase the blood flow to our body's muscles, which results in decreased muscle stiffness, less risk of injury, and improved performance.
2. Restore Shoulder Flexibility -
Pectoral Stretch Posterior Cuff Stretch Side Bending Stretch
  
The best time to stretch a muscle is after it has an increased blood flow and has increased temperature to avoid injury. Stretching a cold muscle can increase the risk of injury from pulls and tears. Keep in mind that the best time to stretch is after exercise because your muscles are warm and pliable with the increase of blood in them. Maximize your warm-up with stretching exercises prior to teeing off.
3. Get Strong...Stay Strong
Golf Fitness Class - Our golf specific training class is designed to improve your flexibility, strengthe, balance, and increase your fitness level. This targeted training will improve your athletic performance and improve your ability to golf. (hit with more power, more consistency and shoot lower scores.)
Golf Seminar - Get Educated - Join us for a one day seminar at Indian River Golf Club on June 4th from 9 am - 3 pm. A panel of Sports Medicine experts will be on hand to discuss proper nutrition, prevention of golf injuries, golf fitness, improving your mental game and video analysis of your golf swing. Place your reservation today by calling our Indian River Clinic at 231-238-4880.
Core Strengthening Class - This class is designed to strengthen the "core", (rectus abdominals, obliques, transverse abdominals, multifidus muscles) and improve your ability to keep the trunk in sync with the upper and lower extremities. Strong core muscles improve your balance as you transfer weight during the golf swing. Call today to sign up for our next class.
Sports Med Minute
Listen to our Sports Med Minute with Jeff Samyn, PT, and Dr. Todd Sheperd, MD, as they examine management of shoulder and elbow injuries associated with golfing. Dr. Sheperd is a primary care and sports medicine physician at Bayside Family Medicine in Petoskey.
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