Simple Tips Help Arthritis Patients Enjoy Their Passion for Golf

Arthritis can affect any joint in the body, but it can really affect your golf game when it strikes the wrists, hands and fingers.  If you have arthritis in your hands or shoulders and it is aggravated by the strong vibrations there are some things that can help.

At Al’s clubhouse we can reduce vibration in several ways

• enlarge your grips
• change your shafts to graphite to reduce vibration
• install anti-vibration devises in the shafts that eliminate vibration almost entirely and
• install more forgiving heads

The following article is from the allaboutarthritis.com website and offers several good tips for arthritic golfers.

Simple Tips Help Arthritis Patients Enjoy Their Passion for Golf

“Golf involves a lot of low-impact exercise activity, which is good for arthritis patients,” said Sherwin Ho, M.D., associate professor of orthopaedic surgery at the University of Chicago, in an April 2004 interview.  Dr. Ho specializes in sports medicine. By “low impact,” Dr. Ho means that golf does not impact the joints by repeated pounding, the way jogging or basketball do. Golf is more leisurely, walking on grass and well-paved footpaths. Low-impact activities are easier on your ankles, knees, hips and other joints.

Walking up and down the rolling hills of your favorite course can be good exercise, if done right. But the rotational stresses of a golf swing place pressure on the spine and back muscles, and the repetitive motions involved in the game can put strain on joints. So the key for arthritis patients who golf is to enjoy the benefits while reducing the potential pitfalls.

The first step is to talk with your doctor. While golf may be a good form of exercise for some, it’s not for everyone. People with certain forms of arthritis may be advised by their doctor to find their fun elsewhere, or to modify or curtail their golfing.

If your doctor says golf is OK for you, then some tips from Dr. Ho and the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons may be helpful:

• Take golf lessons to learn proper form. Even experienced golfers may learn some useful tips from lessons – tips that may help your game and protect your joints from improper form.
• Stretch. Warm up. “A heating pad or hot shower is a good pre-golf preparation technique before you stretch,” Dr. Ho said.
• Get stronger. Incorporate some mild strength training in your exercise routine. This is good advice for most arthritis patients, and especially useful for golfers who are going to put their body through the twists and turns of nine or 18 holes. “Working with a physical trainer is a good place to start to increase the strength of your joints,” said Dr. Ho.
• Keep your pelvis as level as possible throughout the swing.
• If you use a handcart, push, don’t pull.
• Learn to putt in an upright position, which is easier on your back. A longer putter can help you do this.
• Try to avoid golfer’s elbow by strengthening your forearms. Squeezing a tennis ball for five minutes at a time is one technique that the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons suggests.
• Use clubs with perimeter-weighted heads and lightweight graphite shafts to reduce shock.
• Always use tees – even when practicing – so you don’t accidentally hit the ground and jolt your joints.
• Use a custom grip device or athletic tape added to your club’s grip to help you hold clubs firmly and to reduce stress on your finger joints.
• Hit some balls on a driving range after you stretch and before you play.

“After you finish a round of golf, a cold pack applied to all your arthritic joints for 20 minutes in order to limit the inflammation of the joints is a good idea,” Dr. Ho said.

“For someone with arthritis who would like to play golf, the goal should be to maximize the function of the arthritic joints. The best way is to maintain flexibility and increase the strength of their joints,” he said.

“Before heading out for a round of golf, it is a good idea to take an anti-inflammatory medication,” with your doctor’s guidance.  “By controlling your inflammation, you can enjoy your golf time more,” Dr. Ho said.