Body Rehab.
Body Rehab. Golf is meant to be enjoyed; however, it takes a lot of training to keep a decent performance level and sometimes, injuries occur. This is what recently occurred to me, and I’d like to tell you about it, and what I am doing to conduct body rehab. I am about two weeks out from what I believe the initial injury was, so this is not a nagging injury that has lasted a few months. This is a “Stop swinging the golf club until you are healed” injury.
I enjoy lifting weights. They help maintain flexibility, strength, endurance, and the ability to keep my swing speed up. On a chest workout, I had a pair of 40-pound dumbbells in my hands and was set to do chest press, 3 sets of 10. I believe somewhere from the second to the third set, I became complacent with the lift. Typically, you want to have the shoulder blades retracted to create a stable base for the shoulders. To get in this position, you somewhat walk your shoulders blades together, which also “puffs” out your chest for the exercise. Otherwise, you are using your shoulders and triceps to push.
During the lift, I can remember specifically that I wanted to get a deep stretch in my shoulders, so I brought the weight as far down as I could bring them for at least a set, perhaps a set and then half of another set. My intent was to stretch my shoulders, which would transfer to higher hand position in the backswing. My intentions were pure, the issue was the dumbbell on a fatiguing weaker right arm, as I am left-handed.
After the lift, there was no issues. The day after however, my right pectoral muscle, right deltoid, and right triceps were in pain. I had lifted with a flat back, with no arch and the scapula not retracted, placing too much tension and strain on the muscles. Now a single pushup is trouble. As a Certified Personal Trainer, I know that I do not have any torn muscles, as I have evaluated different movements in the area and can easily contract the muscles in the area and there is no bruising. The muscles are certainly strained. I took three days off from lifting with ice and muscle cream to numb the area.
Now the body rehab is simple. I cannot just stop lifting. That is not an option. The body will adapt as required if you push it safely and correctly. Two things: self-myofascial release and exercise bands. SMR is a tissue rolling that assists in finding adhesions in the muscles and works them out. The exercise bands allow me to do all of the same workout regimen, with increased protection to the muscles and the area that I am favoring. The downside is the workouts take a little bit longer, as I am reprogramming my muscles to move the right way, and that is done through increased repetitions, 25-40.
I will have about another week of recovery, drinking water and consuming Himalayan Sea Salt to ensure that the muscles are retaining water to help with the healing during this body rehab. Additionally, I have increased protein and creatine intake to assist with the nutrients needed to assist my muscles in their recovery. This is the process that is essential for me to maintain and not regress and lose months’ worth of work. Despite popular belief, quitting until you are healed is not an option. In fact, quitting to heal will take you longer to do just that. Body Rehab is an alternative focus on working the muscles while they heal.
Fabio Comana lists some important things from NASM right here.
Take care of yourself and recover! Body Rehab is a must.
David