Dr. Parul Goel discussing golf injuries and treatment with Susan Casper of ABC15 Sonoran Living.
It may feel impossible to get back into the swing of golfing after an injury. The simple nature of the swing can put a significant amount of stress on the body.
Barrow NeuroSpine and Rehab Center, with locations in Scottsdale and Phoenix, have spine specialists specifically trained in non-surgical measures to accurately diagnosis and treat neck and back issues. Their comprehensive approach to treating golf injuries allows individuals not only to return to the game faster, but to prevent or limit them from a recurring injury. This multi-tiered approach toward treating injuries may include physical therapy, injection therapy and/or medication management.
Physiatry
Pain management and rehabilitation physicians (physiatrists), are nerve, muscle, and bone experts who treat injuries or illnesses that affect how you move.
“For most of our patients, non-surgical treatment plans incorporating our advanced physical therapy work extremely well,” said Dr. Umphrey. But in some cases, spine manipulation and mobilization techniques alone are not sufficient, or a patient’s pain is too great to fully participate in physical therapy. These patients may benefit from injection therapy or medication management.”
Physical Therapy
Rotational stresses of the golf swing can easily tweak the neck, back, shoulders, and hips.
Physical therapy helps decrease irritation to the spine by improving spinal mobility, core strength and muscle balance in the regions surrounding the irritable area. Improved mobility and control throughout the entire body can greatly reduce the risk to areas of the body including:
“Balance also has a huge influence on a golf swing,” said Dr. Greg Umphrey of Barrow NeuroSpine and Rehab Center. “We work on core strength and muscle balance exercises to improve both safety and performance on the golf course.”
Pain Management
Pain management techniques come into play when exercise and physical therapy techniques are not sufficiently relieving pain.
“Once we have completed an evaluation of your condition and determined a proper course of treatment, we will apply one or more pain management techniques to reduce or stop your pain,” said Dr. Parul Goel, pain management physician at Barrow NeuroSpine and Rehab.
Injection therapy provides a specific, directed intervention in the treatment of pain conditions. These procedures include joint and soft tissue, nerve and spinal injections, to name a few. Injections are image guided with the use of either a fluoroscope or an ultrasound machine to ensure the accuracy and safety of the procedures.
“The most important factor with injection therapy is accurately diagnosing the source of pain,” said Dr. Goel. “We educate each patient on their treatment options to ease suffering and maximize function. These treatment options allow individuals return to their life activities, such as golf, in a more timely fashion.”
As a Barrow patient, you can feel confident we’ll exhaust every avenue to arrive at a proper diagnosis and treatment plan customized specifically for you. Request an appointment online and our Patient Navigator will guide you through the next steps.
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