Flexibility and Mobility

What is Flexibility and Mobility?:

When discussing flexibility, we are talking about the total range of motion (ROM) of a given joint.  However, being flexible does not always equate to moving well.  Mobility is a term we use to express the ease with which we move through these movements.

Why are Flexibility and Mobility Training Important to Me?:

Flexibility and Mobility are key players to us whether we take part in recreational sports or are professional athletes.  Dedicating the extra time to these two elements of a workout regimen can mean avoiding serious injury, but is also key to making our day to day life easier.  Having the required level of flexibility and mobility to go through the full ROM of a movement is necessary to avoid pain and injury.  Otherwise, we may cheat the movement and ultimately end up with an injury.

What are some exercises I can try at home?:

1.       Ankle Stretch: stand with your toe about three inches from the wall and drive your knee forward without lifting your heel off the floor.

2.       Hip Bridge: activate your glutes at the top of the stretch.

Set in your Swing

As creatures of habit, we often feel compelled to take the easy road and stay in our comfort zone.  When "change" is required, we are often reluctant to make adjustments because it requires us to work harder.

In terms of your golf swing, it can be frustrating to try to make changes when the body is simply unable to move effectively.  A major factor contributing to the inability to move effectively is due to poor mobility; resulting from bad posture and poor swinging mechanics.

Having a poor thoracic range of motion can hinder your ability to rotate your spine; also forward shoulders can contribute to poor mobility.  Finally, lengthened muscles due to poor posture will hinder the transfer of energy from the lower extremities towards the upper extremities.

 As TPI certified professionals, we can aid in changing and improving your swing by incorporating movement screens, corrective exercises as well as massage therapy to increase mobility.  After the musculo-skeletal changes have been made, repetition in your swing will improve motor patterns thereby, improving your golf swing.

Hot Spots on a Golfer

Common areas for golfers to experience soreness is around the head, neck, and between the shoulder blades. These areas mostly result is strains from tightening up and hitting the ball too hard. Hands, forearms, and rotator cuff muscles are usually tense, contracted, or inflamed from gripping and swinging the gold club.

We are seeing an increase in the number of golfers who seek out orthopedic massage therapy to help with these issues. We asses and prioritize the locations of overall pain. By doing so, we are able to pinpoint the problem areas by trigger point techniques, stretching, and body work focusing on alleviating aches and pains.

Going the DIstance

Golf fitness exercise can be very beneficial for the woman golfer in terms of swing, rotation in the back swing, speed development, and overall performance.

A sport specific training program is determined by overall areas needing to be more defined and improved upon such as movements, positions and actions incorporated in the golf swing. Golf fitness programs are also beneficial in improving a woman's mobility and flexibility. By improving these two areas, she may be able to create a bigger shoulder turn, which may increase the distance of her drives.

Soft tissue manipulation

Many serious medical conditions can be the culprit of painful of muscles and tendons. Orthopedic massage techniques interrogate a wide range of body work styles with the end goal of improving the clients condition.

By incorporating various soft tissue manipulation techniques, we can alleviate an assortment of painful conditions cause by soft tissue strain. Multiple sessions may be recommended to treat the problem, ensure that it is eliminated and to build up strength and resistance in the affected area.

Orthopedic massage can encourage an injury to heal or even improve a clients mobility and flexibility if it has been impaired by soreness or strain. Orthopedic massage aides in restoring structural balance throughout the body and allows us to focus on prevention and rehabilitation of muscleoskeletal dysfunctions.

Orthopedic Massage

If your body requires more than just a light relaxing touch, you may be a prime candidate for orthopedic massage therapy. Orthopedic massage is a type of massage therapy that is focused on treating painful conditions which affect soft tissue to the body. The orthopedic massage is primarily the application of specific treatment protocols targeted to the specific problem area the client presents. 

We integrate a range of techniques to treat these conditions. We adapt to each clients specific needs and focus on problems with clients muscloskeletal system. By working with the client we are able to release tight muscles, help to stretch shortened muscles and tendons, and decompressed joints. The goal of orthopedic massage therapy is to normalize the soft tissue of the body both to treat specific conditions and to keep our clients generally healthy and fit.

Health for golf

Golf is a game of good technique, to stay on top of your game alway take precautions when feeling those minor aches and pans. remember to ice down aching muscles and joint as soon as you can, as well as stretching, plenty of rest and hydration along with proper exercise will help you reduce your risk of injury and develop a smoother stroke.