Saturday, November 1, 2008

Massage Chair Therapy Accelerates Your Golf Swing

By Steve Esquire

Playing golf requires you to have a very true and consistent swing. This requires many muscles groups to work in tandem to place the ball where you want. If they are not all working together, then your swing will be off. Getting your muscle groups working together requires a good pre-golf warm up. Warm up may include stretching, some exercises and walking an massage therapy. Massage therapy helps to loosen up tight muscles and enhance blood flow getting muscles ready for action. One of the most effective methods of getting a pre-game massage is with a massage chair.

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.

The three elements that constitute a good and proper golf warm up are massage, stretching and light exercise. Massage helps to reduce tension and tightness in muscles such as the back, shoulders, hips, arms and shoulders. Using a massage chair can effectively provide sufficient coverage. You should then stretch out the major muscle groups and areas of your body. Next, do some light exercises along with walking to get your body and muscles prepared for the day's activities. It is important to develop this into a routine each time you play.

You may not be familiar with the tremendous technology that has been integrated into massage chairs, but they can provide many effective massage therapies. You can select a Swedish, Shiatsu or deep tissue massage. These are effective in loosening your muscles, enhance circulation and also increasing mental awareness and concentration. Many top athletes get sports massages to help them maintain peak performance. It is important to drink a glass of water after getting a massage to help flush out the toxins released from your muscles.

Most golfers that I have met, complain about lower back pain. This is an especially important area for your golf swing. In fact, this is the pivot point of your swing. Your swing puts a lot of stress on this area as you follow through on your swing. Since you are doing this over and over throughout the day, you may start to experience some aching or discomfort. Getting a proper and adequate warm up is critical to easing this particular stress point. You want to stretch out the back, legs and hips. The application of heat is also beneficial. You may want to get some deeper tissue bodywork in the lower lumber to help you out.

What can cause injuries during the golf game? Many golf injuries come from over-swinging, poor swing mechanics, hitting the ground or excessively twisting during your swing. Most of these can be prevented. If you warm up correctly, then you can reduce the chance of these happening to you. As you can see, the swing is where the vast majority of golf related injuries can occur. Be smart and get a routine warm up to help prevent these happening to you. Your warm up must be thorough and consistent to help reduce injury. Furthermore, know your own personal limits and do not push your limits too far.

You should seriously consider adding massage therapy as part of your warm up like professional athletes do. Sports massage is part and parcel of the proper warm up to help achieve peak performance. You want to make sure all the major muscle groups that constitute your golf swing are included. This also helps reduce the chance of injury and increases your longevity. Do not wait until you are injured. Once injuries start to occur, then it is difficult to fully recover. Your golf swing is very sensitive to problems such as injuries which can affect your game permanently. Get a great sports massage with a massage chair recliner and get your swing the best it can be. - 16004

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