As sports go, golf isn’t known for its high-octane action. But did you know that professional golfers swing up to 400 times a day during tournaments? Golfer’s elbow, rotator cuff tightness, and lower back strain are just some of the injuries common among golfers. To combat this, a sports massage can deliver targeted relief to strained areas, accelerate recovery, and even improve swing performance.
During those crucial few seconds when the player hits the ball, there’s a surprising amount of physical strain on the body. Even as the shoulders, arms, and wrists deliver a powerful, coordinated swing, immense torsion is applied to the hips, and the core must remain steady and stable. It’s no wonder that sports injuries are common among golfers! Moreover, they often tend to be internal, affecting deep muscle tissues. Fortunately, sports massage can help.
However, before we discuss the performance benefits of a sports massage, let’s first explore how it can aid your post-game recovery.
Benefits of Sports Massage in Post-game Recovery
Sports Massage is a type of deep-tissue massage that focuses on specific areas of the body experiencing the highest strain, tension, and pain. Massage therapy accelerates recovery, helps prevent severe cases of post-game soreness, and offers deep relaxation. Here are some of the benefits it offers:
- Improves Blood Circulation
All that walking, standing, and swinging releases lots of lactic acid in the body. It is this toxin that causes muscle pain, soreness, and injuries. Using varied pressure and rhythmic strokes on the muscles, a sports massage therapist boosts blood circulation in the body. This aids in delivering important nutrients to affected muscles. It also helps wash away toxins. This dual action promotes muscle recovery.
- Relieves Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)
The human body is designed to withstand extreme stress when faced with physical challenges without letting us know how bad things are until much later. This gives us an evolutionary advantage in the face of threats, allowing us to avoid worrying about the damage we incur at the time. Unfortunately, the Human body doesn’t differentiate between sports and threats.You may not register the small twitch of a muscle during the heat of the game, but it will leave you in excruciating pain later when you’re relaxing. Quick intervention in the form of sports massage can prevent the onset of delayed soreness by treating the injury before it gets out of hand.
- Prevent Swelling and Inflammation
Repetitive motions, no matter how smooth, are a big source of swelling and inflammation among golfers. The neck, shoulders, and lower back experience the highest repetitive motions and, therefore, tend to be the most affected areas. An experienced sports massage therapist can use a combination of stroking, kneading, circular motions, and tapping to relieve strained muscles and prevent them from swelling.
Check out our post on Benefits of Sports Massage for Athletes for a detailed list of benefits.
Benefits of Sports Massage to Your Golf Performance
Whereas a post-game therapy session can do wonders for your recovery, a pre-game sports massage routine can give your game a noticeable performance boost. Here are some proven benefits of athletic massage therapy on game performance:
- Expands Your Range of Motion and Flexibility
Ever cursed a stiff neck or a tight shoulder for your missed swing? Taut bands of muscle tissues are the culprit, and they’re very common among golf players. By targeting overused and agitated muscles, sports massage relieves knots and adhesions, ultimately deactivating the trigger points. In practice, you notice it in the fluid motion and enhanced range of your swing.You may also notice less stiffness and resistance from your joints and back when you take long swings. Your body feels more flexible, perhaps a few years younger and more athletic, too.
- Unlocks Peak Muscle Performance
There’s nothing worse than losing a game because of a random muscle pull or spasm. Wins and losses must be based on skill, not because your body decided to punish you for enjoying your favorite game.A pre-game sports massage therapy uses targeted pressure to prime the body’s muscles for heightened activity. Improved blood flow, oxygenation of muscles, and relief from knots prepare your muscles for peak performance.
You will notice these benefits in the form of fewer aches and pains when you’re in the rough and hazards.
- Sharper Focus and Reduced Stress
Golfing isn’t only about physical performance. There’s a reason it’s called the gentleman’s game. Mental focus, game analysis, and precision hits win the game. It’s as much a game of wits as it’s a game of muscles. But how do you maintain intense focus in a game when your mind is inundated with everything from work stress to personal issues?At a physiological level, massage even reduces the level of stress hormones in your body, relieving anxiety and any tension you’ve built up throughout the day. A deeply relaxing massage therapy session before the game can calm your nerves, bring mental clarity, and prime your thinking muscle for the ultimate performance of your life every time.
- Improved Shot Consistency
Muscle tightness isn’t always painful. Sometimes, it goes unnoticed, staying just below the surface and surreptitiously introducing mechanical flaws into your swing. You know that something is off, but you cannot pinpoint what it is or where it is.Regular massage therapy not only relieves muscle tightness but also prevents them from spiraling into a complete breakdown in performance. In practice, it feels like your body is actually responsive to what you want it to do rather than you forcing the motions on it.
For a broader look at how massage therapy supports athletic performance, check out this article from the American Massage Therapy Association: The Game Plan.
Visit our post on the role of sports massage in performance and recovery for in-depth information.
Key Muscle Groups of Golfers Targeted by Sports Massage
Every sport is unique and imposes distinct demands on the human body. When these demands exceed the normal levels, they cause sports injuries. And that, in turn, demands targeted athletic massage therapy that focuses on the areas that require the highest attention. For golfers, here are the areas that generally require frequent massage therapy:
- SHOULDERS AND UPPER BACK MUSCLES: Smooth movement of the trapezius and rhomboid muscles in the shoulder and upper back is crucial for fluid backswing and follow-through. If these muscles feel tight or taut, it directly affects your game performance.
- HIPS AND GLUTES: These muscles pack a powerful punch. They build up tension and release it in one graceful motion to enhance your rotational range and stabilize your movement. Any interruption to this motion caused by soreness or tightness in muscles compromises your game. So, they need to be in top shape.
- FOREARMS AND WRISTS: They’re also among the most overworked muscles in a game of Golf and require special attention. Whether you’re taking a lay-up shot or a 10-foot putt, these muscles are always at work. They’re also the weakest and most vulnerable, prone to injuries.
- LOWER BACK: All the standing, swinging, walking, and other activities on the course are not gentle on the back. From amateurs to professionals, all golfers experience lower back pain, which requires targeted relief massage. Otherwise, golfers run the risk of developing chronic back pain.
How Often Do Golfers Need Sports Massage?
There is no fixed number or frequency of recommended sports massage sessions for golfers, as each player is unique, and their needs vary. Prolific players, especially professionals, require frequent sessions to keep up with their rigorous regimen, whereas amateur players, who take to golfing only on the weekends, require fewer of them. That said, here are some general recommendations:
- PRE-GAME SESSION: A deep-tissue athletic massage session before the game prepares the body for maximum performance.
- POST-GAME SESSION: A deep, restorative massage helps reduce soreness and improve muscle recovery.
- PERIODIC SESSIONS: For off-season professionals and amateurs who play golf infrequently, regular sports massage sessions help maintain posture, flexibility, range of motion, and muscle performance.
Final Words
Whether you’re stepping onto the green for the first time or you’ve played hundreds of rounds, one thing is clear: Golf is as demanding on the body as it is on the mind. Sports massage offers a practical, science-backed way to enhance both your performance and recovery. It is more than just a rejuvenating escape from stress; it’s vital to recovery, mobility, and peak performance.
It must be clear to you by now that integrating sports massage into your routine isn’t a luxury. It’s a strategic investment in your game and your long-term health. So, don’t waste another second. Book the best sports massage therapist in Juno Beach by calling us here at (561) 345-0956.
Photo by Mick Haupt: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-in-blue-top-and-white-cap-playing-golf-5644643/
