Do you know that for every golf swing fault there's a physical limitation causing it?

Think of a golfer and one doesn't normally think of an athlete. However, this is doing the sport a huge disservice. In order to be an excellent golfer you need to be in excellent shape.

These days you'll find the professionals in the gym almost as much as they're out on the course. In the words of Tiger Woods “I think that guys are finally starting to take care of themselves. They’re not out hitting it pretty hard at night, because they can’t. They used to all do it, hence it was a level playing field! Now when we come to the golf course, guys have rested, they’ve worked out, gotten stronger, they’ve stretched and they’ve got personal trainers that travel with them.”

Golfers are learning they don't need to be Tiger Woods to benefit from massage therapy. At destination spas and golf resorts around the world, massage sessions designed to target the specific needs of recreational golfers are gaining in popularity.

The most common golf injuries occur in the lower back, elbows, shoulders, hands and wrists, and are generally defined as either cumulative (overuse) or acute (traumatic) injuries. The impact and stress of the repetitive motion of the swing is can be hard on the muscles and joints.

More importantly, the average golfer spends more time hunched over a computer at work than on the green. The whole body is engaged during a golf swing and this is where muscular imbalances and tightness can mean the difference between hitting below par and ending up in the rough.

Sports massage can effectively free up any physical limitations, prevent injury, treat injuries and most importantly improve your golf swing.

Are you one of the 30,000 people training for the 2009 London Marathon on 26 April 2009?

I noted an interesting article on Healthypages this week. Many of us already have experience and personal proof that the mind and the body are closely connected. However, the Western Medical community don't give credence to anecdotal evidence. They work on the principle that unless something can be proven with tests and data it doesn't count. So it's interesting that:

"Doctors from Germany have concluded that neck pain is not just the result of physical factors. The doctors are citing psychological reasons for neck pain as well. High up on their list for reasons are anxiety and depression.

Lead researcher, Dr. Martin Scherer from the University of Gottingen said "For successful long-term results, it is essential to consider psychosocial factors and to include them into therapeutic strategies........ "

Click here to read the full article.

This may sound like stating the obvious to those of us who can see a correlation between body and mind. However, many people are of the opinion that enough sessions of a hands-on therapy such as massage, osteopathy etc will cure the problem. In fact, this is only half the picture.

The additional therapeutic strategies which spring to my mind might include lifestyle changes, counselling, relaxation techniques and meditation.

Best wishes for a very happy festive season and a wonderful 2009!

Have you ever tried a new form of therapy - be it acupuncture, osteopathy, reiki, massage etc and felt really good afterwards? Think back and then remember how long you felt different for. Was it an hour, a day, a week or maybe longer? Maybe if it was only a short while you discounted that particular therapy as "not working".

A good complementary therapist will no doubt have given you some aftercare advice. It may have been stretching, postural advice or de-stressing techniques. Did you take these on board and implement them. In many cases, for whatever reason, the answer if probably no.

The time spent on the therapists couch is only a small piece of the jigsaw puzzle. In any week you will spend one hour on the couch and another 6 days and 23 hours going about your everday life - doing things the way you've always done them.

As powerful as a therapy may be there is simply no way it can maintain magically transform you. Ultimately it is what you do once you are off the couch that really counts. It takes commitment, courage and dedication to make any sort of change.

So take the first step on your journey today and implement any aftercare advice your therapist gave you. You'll be amply rewarded.

Are you a very organized sort of person? Your christmas present list already distributed to friends and family. Making their lives easy and taking the guessing out of present buying?

Or are you leaving everyone in the dark - giving them no ideas at all and yet secretly hoping you won't get any of those horrid "gift sets" which adorn the aisles of Boots, M&S and big name supermarkets. You know the ones ...... which end up in the charity shop.

Well ....... thinking ahead......... are you planning to start 2009 fit and healthy? If that's the case then maybe popping a few healthy gift ideas on your list will help get you started in the New Year.

Here are some ideas to get you going:

• a pair of cross trainers, which you can use in the gym or for running

• a new workout outfit which you'll be dying to show off on Boxing Day
  

• some personal training sessions to overhaul your exercise regime and keep you motivated
  

• six month gym or leisure centre membership

• a massage [see how I slipped that in?]

• a subscription to an inspirational magazine such as Ultra-Fit or Runners World

• an I-Tunes voucher so you can download some new workout music

• an exercise DVD