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Reducing Golf Injurieswith

Golf-Flexology

By Ralph R. Stephens

Ralph Stephens

In primitive society, when

tribes beat the ground with

clubs and yelled, it was

called witchcraft

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.Today, in civilized society, it

is called, “Golf”

Golf used to be a rich man’s sport.

Now there are millions of poor

players.

The Majority of Golfers Suffer

a Golf Related injury

Almost every one is a

potential client that you

can help.

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www.ralphstephens.com

or

www.golfflexology.com

The Golf Swing

Clubhead Speed of 100mph+

2 parts of the swing

Back swing

Down swing

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The Back Swing

The Down Swing

Follow Through

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The Golf Swing

Weight transfers from inside the right foot to the left foot

The swing ends with the body coiled 90 degrees and facing the target,

with all the weight on the left foot, which is pointing toward what was

forward.

This puts incredible torque on the left knee.

The Golf Swing

• Golf equates in

muscular exertion

to football,

martial arts and

other sports.

• Just no physical

contact.

The Golf Swing places extreme loads

on the joints.

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Common Golf Injuries

�Golfers Elbow (Medial Epicondylitis)

� Low back

� Shoulder

�Knee

These conditions are soft-tissue

injury and dysfunction:

Fascia, Muscle, & Tendon

Causes of Golf Injuries

• Too much play or practice

• Playing before an injury has

recovered fully

• Poor Swing Mechanics (form)

• Too little warm-up

• Twisting spine during swing

• Structural Imbalances

• Poor Form or Lack of Conditioning

• Lack of flexibility

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Lack of Flexibility

� Restricts one’s ability

to perform the golf

swing

� Results in

inconsistencies

� Predisposes golfer to

injuries

How Can a Massage Therapist

Help a Golfer?

Reduce the pain of injuries

Decrease healing time

Improve flexibility

Massage

Stretching

Let’s Look at some golf

injury anatomy

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Golfer’s Elbow

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Medial Epicondylitis (Golfer's Elbow)

Tennis and golfer’s elbow

Flexors_of_Forearm

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The Low Back

3 primary reasons for low back

injuries in golfers:

Poor Posture

Lack of flexibility in the Hips

Poor Swing Mechanics

Quadratus_Lumborum

Multifidi_and_Rotatores

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Most causes of back pain are due to

muscle spasm only 1 – 3%

due to discs!

• Sciatica is most often

due to piriformis

spasm or

• Hamstring spasm

• Pelvic imbalances

• Lumbar lesions

Piriformis

Gluteus_Medius

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Gluteus_Minimus

The Shoulder

Supraspinatus

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Infraspinatus

Teres_Major

Teres_Minor

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Subscapularis

Medical Massage for the

Knee

Patella & Retinaculum

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Tibial Collateral Ligament

Popliteus_and_Plantaris

How to Address These

Conditions• Thoroughly examine tissues

• Accurately

• Precisely

• Normalize abnormal tissues

• Ischemia (TePs)

• Trigger Points (TrPs)

• Restore Range of Motion (ROM)

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How to Address

Golfer’s Elbow• Skin rolling & myofascial stretching

• Compression of flexors

• Circular deep friction

• Deep stripping effleurage

• Point by point examination of flexors

• Deep friction and sustained pressure at and just distal to medial epicondyle

• Stretching – AIS & Pin & Stretch

Wrist Extension: Hand Prone 90º(and at 45º each way)

Primary muscles stretched: flexor carpi radialis, flexor carpi ulnaris, flexor digitorum

(greater emphasis at distal attachments)

Wrist Extension: Hand Supine 90º(and at 45º each way)

Primary muscles stretched: flexor carpi radialis, flexor carpi ulnaris, flexor digitorum

(greater emphasis at proximal attachments)

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Wrist Extension with the Fingers: Hand Prone (and at 45º each way)

Primary muscles stretched: flexor carpi radialis, flexor carpi ulnaris, flexor digitorum

Wrist Extension: Hand Prone 90ºwith the fingers (and at 45º each way)

Primary muscles stretched: flexor carpi radialis, flexor carpi ulnaris, flexor digitorum

(greater emphasis at distal attachments)

Forearm Extensors Stretching Summary

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Wrist Flexion: Hand Prone 90º(and at 45º each way)Primary muscles stretched:

extensor carpi radialis longus, extensor carpi radialis brevis, extensor carpi ulnaris

Wrist Flexion: Finger Extensors Stretch(with a fist; prone and supine, and at 45º each way)

Primary muscles stretched: extensor carpi radialis longus, extensor carpi radialis brevis, extensor carpi ulnaris, extensor digitorum, extensor indicis,

extensor digiti minimi

Exercise For Golfer’s Elbow

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How to Address

Low Back Pain• Skin rolling and myofascial stretching

• Examine quadratus lumborum

• Examine paraspinal muscles – superficial & deep

• Examine hip, especially superior to trochanter

• AIS Stretching

Lateral Gluteus Maximus(vertical thigh, knee across body, 90º)

Primary muscles stretched: gluteus maximus and lower back rotators

Oblique Gluteus Maximus(vertical thigh, knee across body higher, 80º)

Primary muscle stretched: gluteus maximus (oblique fibers)

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Double Leg Pelvic Tilt(feet together, knees 90º, sacrum up)

Primary muscles stretched: erector spinae, multifidus, quadratus lumborum, sacrospinalis, lumbar extensors

Also: tensile force on lumbar and sacral ligaments

Oblique Double Leg Pelvic Tilt(knees up, twist, up to same axilla)

Primary muscles stretched: erector spinae, multifidus, quadratus lumborum, sacrospinalis,

and lumbar extensors on the opposite sideAlso: tensile force on lumbar and sacral ligaments

Piriformis and Trunk Stretches Summary

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How to Address

Shoulder Pain• Skin rolling and myofascial stretching

• Examine each muscle of the rotator cuff and

shoulder girdle

• AIS stretching

Horizontal Flexion with Thumb UpPrimary muscles stretched:

infraspinatus and teres minor

Horizontal Flexion with Palm Up

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Horizontal Flexion with Palm Down

Horizontal Flexion with Thumb Down

How to Address

Knee Pain• Skin rolling and myofascial stretching

• Examine each muscle that crosses the knee

• Examine the tendon capsule of the knee,

especially around the patella

• Examine the superficial ligaments

• Active Isolated Stretching – Mattes Method

• Active Isolated Strengthening – Mattes Method

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How to Address

Lack of FlexibilityExamine each muscle that crosses the joint involved

in the complaint or that is lacking ROM

• Active Isolated Stretching – Mattes Method

• Active Isolated Strengthening – Mattes Method

Thank YOU so Much!

Time for questions

And hopefully answers.

www.ralphstephens.com

or

www.golfflexology.com