How TCM & Tech-enhanced Therapies Help With Golf Performance And Muscle Recovery

If you are an active golfer, you might have probably encountered 5 of the most common golf injuries^[1]

1. Rotator cuff conditions
2. Tennis elbow
3. Golfer’s elbow
4. Back strains
5. Tendonitis

Most of these injuries result from swinging of the golf club, which involves sudden muscle contractions that can cause injuries when done in poor form or repetition. Proper warm-up and ample rest can help you avoid such injuries, but as with most sports activities, accidents do happen. While some minor injuries can heal by themselves, serious injuries may take longer or even progress into chronic injuries which cause long-term pain and reduce sports performance.

As such, it is recommended to seek professional help early to understand your injury better and speed up recovery. While paying painkillers and anti-inflammatory jabs can provide immediate pain-relief, the effects are often not permanent and fail to address the root cause of the injury. Instead, here are some alternative natural therapies that boost muscle recovery by stimulating your body’s own rejuvenation ability. Scroll down to learn more about how some of these TCM and tech-enhanced therapies can help you perform better at your next golf session!

 

1. Acupuncture
   

 

Acupuncture is the insertion of fine, thin needles at particular acupoints to help stimulate the body and promote self-healing. It functions by promoting blood circulation to the area of concern which helps to speed up local cell recovery. Studies have shown that acupuncture helps to reduce inflammation and increase synthesis of collagen molecules, which are important building blocks for muscle repair^[2]. In TCM theory, acupuncture helps to clear meridian blockages and correct imbalances of the Yin and Yang within the body so that self-healing can take place.

Overall, acupuncture can help to speed up recovery of chronic injuries, instantly restore mobility for acute injuries, and even boost game performance! In fact, our golf-playing patients have reported improved performance after acupuncture, attributing it to the treatment’s ability to open up their joints and allow them to take on stances they were unable to before.

Here’s what our patients say about our acupuncture treatments:

2. Cupping/ Guasha

 

Cupping is the placement of heated cups on the skin to stimulate Qi and blood circulation along the meridians. Studies have shown the efficacy of cupping in relieving acute and chronic back strains and in improving the patient’s overall well-being by driving blood circulation^[3].

Guasha is a non-invasive therapy that involves scraping the skin of the area of concern using a Guasha tool. This promotes the synthesis of new blood capillaries near the skin surface and increases blood flow to the injury area. Studies have shown that Guasha helps to encourage recovery by reducing inflammation^[4]. From a TCM perspective, Guasha helps to clear out any blood stasis or meridian blockages within the body to ensure healthy blood flow and circulation.

Cupping and Guasha are great alternatives to acupuncture as they do not involve the use of needles. They are effective in managing back, neck, and shoulder injuries and are akin to deep-tissue massages which can drive blood circulation and boost overall well-being. After receiving cupping or Guasha therapy, many of our patients experience immediate relief and report improved sleep quality at night. These therapies are effective for various conditions, including golf injuries and muscle stiffness caused by work-related strain. A single cupping or Guasha session can quickly restore your physical performance and get you back to your A-game in no time!

 

3. Herbal medications

 

TCM herbs may also be used in conjunction with acupuncture or cupping and guasha to speed up recovery. From a TCM perspective, slow injury recovery may also be caused by poor blood circulation and Qi and Blood deficiency. A simple way to tell that you have poor blood circulation is to observe your lips and tongue color – they might appear slightly purplish in color. Qi and Blood deficiency is prominent in people who experience prolonged stress or chronic fatigue. In such cases, TCM herbs can help to boost Qi and Blood levels and drive blood circulation.

Common Qi and Blood nourishing herbs include Codonopsis (Dang Shen), Astragalus (Huang Qi), Angelica sinensis (Dang Gui), and Rehmannia (Shu Di Huang). Frankincense (Ru Xiang) and Myrrh (Mo Yao) are also commonly used for their pain-relieving, blood-circulation and anti-inflammatory properties^[5].

 

4. Electro-Lymphatic Therapy (ELT)

 

Electro-lymphatic Drainage Therapy (ELT) is a gentle and non-invasive therapy that helps to stimulate proper flow and drainage of the lymphatic system. It is performed using an FDA-registered wellness device and stimulates the effects of a lymphatic drainage massage or tuina without the pain and pressure.

The lymphatic system plays a key role in influencing inflammatory responses, and is the key passageway through which your inflammatory cells travel through^[6]. When injuries occur, local inflammation (redness, pain, swelling) takes place to trigger the recovery process. Studies have shown that while mild to moderate inflammation mediates the repair of damaged muscle fibers, prolonged and excessive inflammation may slow down recovery by limiting the repair of damaged tissue and triggering muscle atrophy^[7]. As such, fighting inflammation is key to alleviating pain and enhancing muscle recovery.

ELT helps to reduce inflammation by stimulating proper drainage of the lymphatic system^[8]. It can also help to improve muscle recovery by reducing lactic acid build up in muscles^[9]. The 60 minutes session is a relaxing and painless therapy which allows you to enjoy multiple health benefits. Patients report feeling lighter, more relaxed, improved sleep and digestion, clear sinuses and reduced brain fog after the treatment. After a post-golf ELT session, you may notice your muscles feeling less sore, body looking less puffy and much faster muscle recovery – that means that you can go back to swinging that golf club much sooner!

Hear what our patients say about Electro-Lymphatic Therapy (ELT):

5. Negative Ion Therapy

 

Negative ions are negatively-charged molecules that are found abundantly in nature, especially in densely-forested areas, mountains, beaches, and waterfalls. They are often called vitamins of the air as they exhibit antioxidant properties that are beneficial for health. Negative ions are crucial for muscle and injury recovery as they enhance cell metabolism^[10] and improve blood oxygenation^[11]. A paper published in 2020^[12] also documents the following benefits of negative ions on exercise-induced muscle injury and inflammation:

a. Significantly reduced the levels of inflammation
b. Alleviate fatigue caused by muscular overload
c. Improve muscle tone and stiffness

As such, negative ions can effectively improve muscle performance and muscle fatigue recovery after golf-induced muscle injuries. Research has also credited negative ions for increasing psychological health, productivity, and overall well-being^[13].

Negative Ion Therapy is a quick (takes only 20 mins!) and painless way of loading up on strong antioxidants, and is thus often used together with ELT or other TCM treatments. These antioxidants can help to shorten your muscle recovery time, improve your sports performance, and deliver a plethora of health benefits at the same time!

Hear what our patients say about Negative Ion Therapy:

6. Far-Infrared Therapy

 

Patient trying out Far-Infrared Therapy at Oriental Remedies Group

If you have done acupuncture before, then you might have seen an infrared lamp. These are infrared-emitting lamps which help to warm up the area for comfort and blood circulation. Far-Infrared rays (FIR) are a similar concept, except they penetrate deeper into the body and deliver a wider spectrum of health benefits! FIR are invisible waves of energy that penetrate the surface of the skin to gently elevate the body’s surface temperature and promote body systems’ functions. Apart from improving blood circulation^[14], FIR can also promote wound healing^[15] by stimulating collagen production for tissue repair. It also supports cell growth, DNA synthesis, and protein synthesis, all of which are crucial for muscular repair and regeneration. If you’re looking for speedy recovery between golf-sessions, pair your post-golf acupuncture with FIR therapy to maximize the benefits of one treatment!

 

Your healing is the most important!

At Oriental Remedies Group, most of our physicians are trained in both Biomedical Science and TCM at Nanyang Technological University (Singapore) and China for a minimum of 5-8 years before being certified to practice in Singapore.

Looking to optimise your golf performance? Contact our friendly consultants at +65 8742 2163 and quote F50OFF+ELT to enjoy 50% off your first TCM consultation and a complimentary 60 mins Electro-Lymphatic Therapy (worth up to $309).

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This article is written by Physician Foo Shan Ju.

Physician Foo Shan Ju (Oriental Remedies Group, Singapore), a registered TCM physician certified by the Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board (TCMPB).