Swing Flex therapy aids muscles
Swing Flex therapy loosens muscles to aid power, control
John Davis
The Arizona Republic
May. 3, 2007
Paul Ruth (left) works with PGA golfer Tim Clark on “Swing Flex,”
a program designed to increase blood flow and oxygen to muscles to reduce pain.
Tim Clark has risen the ranks to become one of the top 50 golfers in the world, which makes him wonder how high he might climb if he played without pain.
Clark, a South African who lives in Scottsdale, is hoping he can begin to find out when he returns to action next week in the Players Championship.
Because of neck, back and leg pain that has been dogging him for several years, Clark has played in just five PGA Tour events this year. But he thinks he might have found help from a new "Swing Flex" program at Neuromuscular Performance Institute in Scottsdale.
"It's made a big difference already," said Clark, who started the therapy sessions two weeks ago. "I can feel everything loosening up. It's going to help me not only gain more flexibility but get stronger in the areas where a golfer needs that strength.
| "I'm actually a very tight person by nature. I've tried stretching and other things, but it hasn't seemed to help. What we've done in this therapy has brought the flexibility back." Therapist Paul Ruth, who has been working with golfers for 12 years, created the program as a way to increase range of motion, rotation and balance to improve power, distance, and control. That is accomplished by manipulation therapy, which increases blood flow to muscles, bringing them more oxygen and allowing them to perform normally, without pain. "When you have pain in one area, the brain senses that, blocks the blood flow and sends signals for other muscles to take over the work," Ruth said. "The problem is that often those muscles remain blocked and you start to compensate in other ways. "It's really a very simple concept. This isn't some huge medical breakthrough, but as far as I know, no one else is doing this." Ruth's example of how the body compensates is this: If you need to scratch your head but your shoulder hurts, you tend to tilt your head to the side, bringing it closer to your hand and making it easier to reach. "It's the same thing that happens with a limp if you have a sore ankle," Ruth said. "In many cases, you continue to compensate because the blood flow to that area has been blocked. When golfers do that, they change their swing and they lose power and accuracy." David Duval might be the best example of that phenomenon. Duval was the world's top-ranked golfer in 1999 but, because of back pain, changed his swing. He hasn't won since 2001, is struggling to make cuts and had to use a career money-list exemption this year to stay on the PGA Tour. |
"I've had some problems the last few years with my back, neck and legs, and in the short time I've been coming to Paul, I've definitely seen a difference," said Clark, who is ranked 43rd in the world and was among the leaders for the first two rounds of last month's Masters before finishing in a tie for 13th. "I can feel more power. It seems like the ball is going further and we've probably only scratched the surface, so that's pretty encouraging." Ruth's clients also include tour pro Andrew Buckle, but the vast majority are average golfers who want to improve or play without pain. He said his main demographic is 50-75-year-old men. Jeanne Gustafson of Scottsdale is among the believers. Gustafson, 60, plays to a 22 handicap. She and her partner won low-net honors in a tournament at Estancia Club after one session with Ruth. "I am so excited about playing now," she said. "I play a lot of golf. I've taken many lessons and every time, the instructor would tell me to finish my swing, but my left side wouldn't cooperate. "What Paul found was that my entire left side, from my neck to my Achilles', was restricted. After I got done with him I went out and hit the ball better than I ever have in my life." Gustafson said she is hitting her driver "about 40 yards longer." "The biggest problem I'm having now is adjusting because I'm hitting clubs too far," she said. "I'm hitting shorter irons and flying over the green, but it's a nice feeling to know I can reach those greens that I couldn't reach before." NPI also offers a strength program that complements the manipulation therapy. |
The cost is $125 for an initial evaluation and $125 per hour for NRT therapy. Ruth offers a money back guarantee if you are not satisfied with your experience.
"What is surprising is how many people think they have a good range of motion when it's actually pretty bad," he said. "That comes from years of compensation.
"All we're really doing here is getting people back to normal, and pain isn't normal."
For your game
Swing Flex - Power Golf Therapy
Where: Neuromuscular Performance Institute, 7802 E. Gray Road, Suite 300, Scottsdale.
What it is: Neuromuscular Release Therapy (NRT)
How it helps: Therapy increases blood flow and oxygen to muscles that have been restricted, causing other muscles to compensate and golfers to change their normal swing.
What it costs: $125 for initial evaluation; $125 per hour for neuromuscular release therapy
Information: www.npitherapy.com or (480) 922-4499.