How to manage knee pain from golf

5 Ways To Manage Knee Pain For Golf

Photo: Pexels Most people don't realize that golf isn't a low impact sport. The forces generated around the lead leg knee during the golf swing are tremendous. In the case of professional golfers who hit enormous numbers of golf balls in practice and also in play, this can lead to a tear of the large ligament of the knee known as the ACL or anterior cruciate ligament. The most famous injury of this nature was Tiger Woods. Golf can and does take a toll on your body. In particular, walking up and down hills, getting in and out of the golf cart, bending down to pick up balls on the putting green or out of the hole puts a lot of stress on the knees. The average golfer being in the older range of the population could have underlying osteoarthritis -- a major source of knee pain. How do you prevent knee pain in golf? There are a few ways you can prevent long-term knee injury. 1. Proper Golf Biomechanics Abnormal movements in the knee as a result of poor swing form can lead to excessive force, and therefore damage in the knees, including things like tears of the meniscus....

how to manage wrist pain from golf

Tips for Managing Golf Wrist Pain

Photo: Pexels To begin with, how do you know you've had a wrist injury? Well, obviously pain in the wrist is an indicator. But swelling in the wrist after playing, a feeling of weakness in the wrists or hands, numbness in the hands, or the appearance of a small lump on the back of the wrist (known as a ganglion) are also potential signs. Ganglions could occur after an acute injury, like taking too large a divot, or in fact, could occur as a repetitive type of injury after playing repeatedly. How Do You Prevent Wrist Injuries? Here are a few common ways to prevent the onset of wrist pain. 1. Effective Warm-Ups Warming up is perhaps one of the most important things. We do not advise stretching before a round of golf. Instead, warm up the muscles by simply going through the normal movement of golf, that is swinging the club lightly several times. Go to the driving range before your round and hit some balls lightly with a quarter swing, and then a half swing. This is probably the best way to warm up. Stretching is best after a round. 2. Improve Wrist Strength and Flexibility So once...

Getting relief from Golfer’s elbow

How To Get Relief From Golfer’s Elbow

Photo: Pexels Golfer’s elbow is a condition medically known as medial epicondylitis of the elbow. The forearm muscles that go from the pinkie finger up to the inner part of the elbow attach right to the bone, and it's that point of attachment that becomes inflamed in golfer's elbow. It's most commonly related to repetitive stress. You can prevent golfer's elbow with the following techniques: Not gripping the club too hard Wearing a golf glove to help with the grip Using proper technique, i.e., a proper stance and hand position on the club A relatively lighter grip, enough to control the club but not so much as to tighten up the forearm muscles substantially Wrist flexibility exercises Forearm muscle exercises Strength exercises like wrist rolls and wrist curls Further Reading on Golf Injuries: Keep Swinging And Prevent Golf Injuries Keep Your Golf Game In Top Form With These Fitness Tips Dealing With The Golf Swing Injury How Do You Treat Golfer's Elbow? Well, the first approach would be to use simple pain medication like ibuprofen to try and reduce inflammation and to relieve some discomfort. Icing the affected area is also helpful, as is wearing a tennis elbow brace. This...

Treatment options for sufferers of osteoarthritis

5 Modern Osteoarthritis Treatment Options You Shouldn’t Ignore

Photo: Pexels Osteoarthritis is a debilitating condition where the movement, flexibility, and overall performance of your joints breaks down over time. While there isn't a cure or permanent solution, there are several modern osteoarthritis treatment options that can significantly improve your quality of life (and reduce pain). Below are the 5 most common treatment options we recommend at Athletic Edge Sports Medicine. 1. Physiotherapy Typically used for injury rehabilitation, physiotherapy's focus on movement and exercise make it an ideal alternative (or supplement) to pharmaceuticals and surgery for OA sufferers. Guided exercise can improve your range of motion, decrease swelling, and engage stabilizing muscles to decrease stress on your joints. Before any recommendations are made, your physiotherapist will need to conduct an initial assessment. During this session, your physiotherapist will determine the source (and extent) of your pain, potential issues with your movement (things like range of motion, posture, gait, etc.), and mechanical weaknesses (strength, flexibility, etc.) that may be exacerbating your condition. This assessment is used to create a custom treatment plan to address mechanical problems. A treatment plan typically lasts 6 weeks or more. Initially, the physiotherapist may recommend basic strength and flexibility exercises in order to get the...

Physiotherapy's major benefits for osteoarthritis

Major Benefits of Physiotherapy for Osteoarthritis

Photo: Pexels Osteoarthritis is undoubtedly a crippling condition. Stiff joints can make everyday activities like walking and getting out of bed a chore. Bending, kneeling, or squatting can induce excruciating pain. Fortunately, an osteoarthritis specialized physiotherapy program can help alleviate the pain. Through movement and guided exercise, physiotherapy acts to strengthen your joints and muscles (which normally act as a shock absorber of sorts for the body) -- a weak point for osteoarthritis sufferers. Here’s how that works: Joint fluid lubricates the movements of bone surfaces while acting as a shock absorbing fluid. And much like the springs in your vehicle's suspension -- your muscles maintain balance and absorb most of the shock. When they’re strong and well-aligned, most of the force exerted on your body will be absorbed by your muscles, saving your joints from undue pressure. When your stabilizer muscles are weak or imbalanced, your joints take the brunt of every impact (like taking a step, bending, or even moving). In other words, weak muscles and poor mobility compound the negative effects of osteoarthritis, and lead to further degeneration of your joints. And that's where the benefits of physiotherapy lie. By focusing on movement, flexibility, and strength, physiotherapy can...

PRP treatment options for osteoarthritis

Why PRP for Osteoarthritis Treatment is an Excellent Choice

PRP stands for platelet-rich plasma. PRP treatment involves drawing a small amount of blood from the patient, processing that blood in a centrifuge, and spinning the sample down to remove the red and white blood cells. What we're left with is the fluid component of the blood (or plasma) along with platelets, which are the component of blood that is necessary for clotting. We take that preparation, and then we inject it back into the joint that is affected by arthritis. The key science behind PRP is that plasma contains all of the normal healing factors in our blood. Those healing factors are delivered throughout our body to try and heal different kinds of injuries or illnesses, but they're usually delivered in very, very small quantities. As you know, osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage breaks down over time. And because there's no actual blood supply to the cartilage, plasma is only able to diffuse into the joint in minute quantities via joint fluid. Using PRP, we’re essentially hacking the body's natural healing system by withdrawing the healing properties in larger quantities and injecting them directly into the affected area, or where they’re desperately needed. Is PRP effective? A 2013 paper written...

Treating osteoarthritis in your hands

Osteoarthritis Treatment for Fingers and Hands

Osteoarthritis can affect any joint in your body, and your fingers and hands are no exception. In fact, osteoarthritis of the fingers and wrists is one of the most common forms of arthritis caused by joint wear and tear. In a representative study of seniors in Sweden, researchers found that 65% had a positive diagnosis for osteoarthritis in their wrists or fingers (compared to only 15% for knees). In order to determine whether you might be suffering from this affliction, try to look out for these common symptoms: Swelling of joints Regular pain in your fingers or wrists Morning stiffness lasting from 5 to 20 minutes Loss of flexibility Over time, as arthritis progresses to its end stages, you may also see deformities in your wrist and finger joints. That's why it's important to slow down this process or prevent it from progressing. Common Reasons for the Onset of Arthritis One of the most common causes of osteoarthritis is entirely beyond your control -- genetics. If your father, mother, or grandparents had osteoarthritis of the hands, then there’s a substantial chance you may inherit it. Other reasons could involve untreated sports injuries, fractures, torn ligaments, joint deformities, and other wear...

Treating osteoarthritis of the neck

Osteoarthritis Neck Treatment – Causes and Options

Osteoarthritis of the neck commonly occurs in patients in their 50s, but can occur earlier. The most common cause is genetics, so osteoarthritis is considered an inherited condition. If your parents and grandparents have arthritis of the neck, chances are you may develop it at some point in your life. But this doesn’t mean individuals who don’t have a family history of osteoarthritis are completely in the clear. Like all other joints affected by arthritis, injuries can contribute to earlier (and more drastic) onset. Whiplash and sports injuries (football, rugby, gymnastics, etc.) can increase your risk of developing osteoarthritis of the neck. Any activity that carries a risk of impact to the neck can cause or exacerbate osteoarthritis. Symptoms include: Neck pain Pain radiating into the muscles Stiffness of neck muscles Lack of flexibility Occasionally (when there is enough wear and tear in the joint) they body reacts by building up small bone spurs. This is a common consequence of more advanced arthritis. These bone spurs can narrow the outlet from the neck (where the nerves exit and go down to the arms). Some patients with more advanced osteoarthritis of the neck may also have shooting pain down the arm....

Treating osteoarthritis of the hip

Osteoarthritis Hip Treatment for Young and Elderly Patients

Osteoarthritis of the hip occurs in two very distinct population subsets. The first common group is patients in their late 50s to 60s, where general wear and tear of the joint over time has resulted in the onset of osteoarthritis. The second group of patients who experience osteoarthritis of the hip are usually in their 30s, or even younger. They’ve contracted this affliction due to a pre-existing condition. General strategies that apply to both older and younger patients are the non-invasive kind. These include: Physiotherapy Viscosupplementation Stem cell injection Chiropractic care Let’s now examine osteoarthritis hip treatment specific to each type of group. Patients in their 50s to 60s Surgical options for this demographic could involve a total hip replacement, also referred to as hip arthroplasty. However, this is quite a complicated and invasive procedure involving substantial recovery time. A post-operative treatment program is generally recommended as well as prehab -- which is minor treatment before the surgery so that muscles around the joint are strong and flexible. This helps speed up post-operation recovery time. The typical patient that requires total hip arthroplasty would be someone who is referred to in medical parlance as a grade four patient. This means...

Treating osteoarthritis naturally

Osteoarthritis – Natural Treatment Options Without Drugs or Surgery

Osteoarthritis - a degenerative disease that affects healthy functioning of the joints - requires ongoing treatment in order to ensure pain alleviation. Sufferers of osteoarthritis know that there are dozens of potential treatments available, with many of them requiring potent synthetic drugs like opioids and anti-inflammatories -- or in the worst case, surgery. Osteoarthritis natural treatment options are those that don’t use synthetic drugs or invasive surgeries to treat the condition. They include using foods, naturally occurring substances, wearables, and even compounds within your own body to treat the condition. Here are some of the most effective natural treatments for osteoarthritis: Ointments and creams Natural ointments and creams are an alternative to popular painkilling oral medications such as ibuprofen. Some of these creams contain natural analgesics that help soothe the pain. Start by applying them around the affected area -- the manufacturer will recommend how many times you should do this on a daily basis. Otherwise, your local doctor will be able to provide more clarity. Consuming more turmeric Curcumin - the active compound of turmeric - is well-known to have anti-inflammatory properties which are particularly useful when it comes to treating joint pains. In fact, studies have shown that...