With spring on the way and warmer weather ahead, Jeff Wilkens

With spring on the way and warmer weather ahead, Jeff Wilkens, a physical therapist with the Sports Medicine Center at Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin, provides the following the game of golf health tips to maintain you off your couch and out of your doctors office.Launch with half swings. After a long winter layoff, you can get anxious over the golf ball your first time out on the links. The tendency is to over-swing, nevertheless you’ll be much better off supposing that you warm-up by hitting short irons on the range with a 50% swing for 10-15 minutes before you get to the first tee. Replace worn-out grips. Many golf players hands would become sore after their first few rounds of the spring, undoubtedly as they are using muscles that have been resting all winter. Worn-out grips make the problem much worse, so check your grips and re-grip your clubs if needed before you head out to play.Break in new shoes. A new season often means new the game of golf shoes. Nevertheless make sure to wear them around the house for a day or two to break them in. Blisters should stay with you for weeks and in case you don’t have new shoes, be sure to switch your spikes to avoid a nasty slip and the risk of straining a muscle. Don’t forget your hamstrings. Lower back pain can be commonly associated with the game of golf, but many people forget that the hamstrings are directly related to the lower back muscles. Stretch your hamstrings regularly, which might in turn help you to decrease strain on your back muscles. Apply Sunscreen. That’s good, sunscreen. In April and Could, few people think they will be affected by the sun on an overcast spring day. But a four-hour round leaves you little place to hide, and one bad burn may linger all spring. Ease into a high volume of play. Playing too much too soon may lead to overuse injuries. Stretch when you are warm. Muscles are more responsive to stretch in case warmed first. Regular daily stretching is normally more beneficial than just stretching when you play golf. Bring your own water. In springtime, many courses don’t have beverage carts on the course. If you are walking, you’ll become much more dehydrated than you might think, putting yourself at risk of injury and muscle fatigue. Stand up straight. Posture can be key with the game of golf. A straight spine at address is normally much better for you than being hunched over the golf ball.