Muscles Used In The Golf Swing- Massage Therapy for Golfers

For a golfer, the muscles used in the golf swing should be both strong and flexible to produce the desired results.

Key Golf Muscles 

• Core muscles for a stronger turn and stored torque.
• Hamstrings for maintenance of golf posture and low-back injury prevention.
• Quadriceps to help maintain knee flex throughout the swing.
• Upper back muscles to help keep an erect upper spine for ease of rotation.
• Shoulder muscles to allow for consistent top-of-the-backswing position and better control of the club throughout the swing.
• Forearms for a strong impact position with no break down in the wrists.

Core Golf Muscles

The core golf swing muscles are the engine to your golf swing. Like in all athletic movements, your core drives the power. It's the same in baseball, in throwing a discus or shot put, hitting a slapshot in hockey, or any other dynamic power movement.
If your core is weak and inflexible, you will not be able to generate any clubhead speed, resulting in a massive loss of distance. By training your core in both strength and flexibility, from a rotational standpoint, you will see dramatic improvements in your power and distance.

Lower Body Golf Muscles

These muscles play a critical role in stability and generating power. The hamstrings are the most important muscles to help maintain golf posture. These muscles are the most restricted on the older golfer. A simple test is how far can you bend over and attempt to touch your toes?
Developing both strength and flexibility in your hamstrings will not only result in a more consistent golf posture throughout your golf swing, but will greatly reduce the strain on your lower back, helping prevent the very common, "golfers low back" injury.
Your quadriceps help maintain knee flex throughout your golf swing. The key to golf is getting in a dynamic golf posture position (which involves knee flex) and keeping this position throughout the golf swing.
The ONLY way to do this is to strength training and stretch this key areas. Hitting more balls will not be the answer.

Upper Back Golf Muscles

The main contributor for the lack of ability to make a full backswing is the upper back area. Many older golfers have that big hump when in their golf posture that inhibits them to rotate fully in the backswing.
This is a "physical" issue, not mechanical. The ONLY way to improve this is stretching and strengthening the spinal muscles in the upper back. The stronger those muscles are, the better able you'll be to maintain an erect upper back throughout the golf swing.

Shoulder Golf Muscles

The shoulder muscles have many roles in the golf swing, and they are an area that gets over-stressed and injured (rotator cuff). Throughout the golf swing, the shoulder joint rotates open and closed, while the golf club is moving at up to 100 mph.
If the shoulder muscles are weak, you will have no control over your club throughout the swing. If they are inflexible, you will not be able to get to an optimal "top-of-the-backsing" position consistently. Being able to get the club in the right positions is critical to golf swing consistency.

Forearm (Wrist) Golf Muscles

The golf muscles of the forearm (wrist) play a critical role at impact. If the lead wrist is weak, it will break down at impact, robbing you of distance and solid ball contact. One swing fault that will happen is "flipping" the club which increases loft and loses distance.
If your forearm muscles (wrist) are inflexible, you will not be able to get a full wrist cock, which results in less release of the club at impact. Again, the result is a massive loss of distance with all clubs.


Learn about Sacral Therapy and Massage Therapy for Golfers

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Craniosacral Therapy

What is CranioSacral Therapy?

Craniosacral therapy, (CST) is a gently, hands on method of evaluating and enhancing the functioning of a physiological body system called the craniosacral system-comprised of the membranes and cerebronspinal fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord. 

Using a soft touch generally no greater than 5 grams, or about the weight of a nickel, practitioners release restrictions in the craniosacral system to improve the functioning of the central nervous system.

By complementing the body’s natural healing processes, CST is increasingly used as a preventive health measure for its ability to bolster resistance to disease, and is effective for a wide range of medical problems associated with pain and dysfunction.

 

The Healing Power of Massage

The Benefits of Massage Therapy

Everyone knows that a good massage feels great, but recent studies have indicated the health benefits may stretch beyond temporary feelings of pleasure. It has been shown that massages can help reduce muscle tension and pain but a new study found they also reduce inflammation within the muscle. It is the first to actually examine how massage affects the mechanics and functioning of muscles.

The study suggests that massages work on a cellular level in reducing inflammation, much like medication. The process works by triggering biochemical sensors that send inflammation-reducing signals to the muscle cells. It also works by signaling the muscles to construct additional mitochondria, the power centers of cells that play a central role in healing.
The study was conducted by a professor of pediatric medicine at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, and involved 11 men in their twenties. They were subjected to vigorous exercise on a stationary bike until the point of exhaustion, after which one leg would be massaged. According to muscle biopsies taken before and after, the muscle tissue of the massaged leg has a decreased amount of inflammatory cytokines and an increase in mitochondria. Typically, mitochondria are a sign of tissue recovery and inflammation is a sign of tissue damage.

The study’s findings are important because it could alter the way we treat muscle injuries. The typical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs tend to mask the pain but may also hinder actual repair. A massage on the other hand can reduce pain and actually assist in muscle and tissue repair. A professional massage is indeed costlier than taking an aspirin, but fortunately you can teach yourself or a family member the right technique for an in-home massage.

There are many websites offering advice and techniques on massage therapy. Massages will help speed the recovery of your muscles after working out, playing a sport or incurring an injury. Be sure to consult a physician if a sports-related injury persists.

Research Supports Healing Benefits of Massage

Finally, there is evidence that the massage industry can sink its teeth into regarding the efficacy of massage reported in the Feb 1, 2012 journal Science Translational Medicine. Antecdotally, massage has been said to help reduce muscle soreness, improve blood flow, and speed recovery of muscles following exercise. And now there is finally proof about what everybody has been saying all along.
The key is cytokines, a cellular substance present in the inflammatory process. Massage therapy has been found to inhibit cytokine production and increase the production of mitochondria in muscle cells. This is a huge finding involving the link between massage and pain reduction.

Does Massage really help alleviate low back pain?

 

In my experience, yes, massage can be a very effective way of managing and relieving back pain.  Massage, along with other forms of self care, will help get you there faster.

I’m a firm believer in that the more you can do for yourself, the better off you are. So incorporating yoga, tai chi, or other forms of movement and stretching in your daily routine will definitely help keep you on track.

Sometimes though, it just works better to have someone do the work for you! I like to incorporate range of motion moves in with my massages, especially when someone is dealing with decreased movement and pain. It is always done to the clients level of comfort.

Many people with back pain are surprised at how much better they feel after a massage session, and how much easier it is for them to move. My clients that see me on a regular basis are aware of how much massage helps them to maintain their flexibility.