Bowling may be seen as a game for old people but it’s a demanding sport, too! Like players of football, soccer, and hockey, bowlers can also experience acute and chronic pain. Bowling puts plenty of stress on the tendons, joints and muscles resulting in injuries to these parts.
The two main causes for chronic pain among bowlers are bad mechanics (i.e., form and technique) and overuse. But in both causes, the outcomes can be similar from pain in the elbows and wrist to pain in the lower back, knees and feet. Many of these injury-related pain can cause recurring health issues in the future, such as wrist injuries becoming arthritis later in life.
So before you and your friends go bowling at Brunswick, be sure that you have adopted proactive approaches in pain risk reduction. Here are a few of the most useful tips.
Be Conscious of Your Bowling Mechanics
Your bowling form isn’t just about appearing like a lean, mean bowling machine. Instead, you should think about it in terms of actual performance – the better your form, the better you can throw the ball, and the better your scores can be. Plus, there’s also the fact that your bowling form and mechanics will affect your risks of injury.
- Keep your head up, your eyes on the target, and your shoulders square.
- Grip the ball in the right way and, if possible, get a ball custom-fitted to your fingers.
- Start two arrows right of the middle in case you’re a right-handed bowler. Reverse if you’re a left-handed player.
- Relax your mind and body before starting your swing. Deep breathing is a great way to do so.
- Stay upright and balanced all throughout the swing.
- Keep your arm straight when releasing the ball. Slightly bend it, if you’re moving down the lane toward the foul line, so that a smooth arc can be created.
- Always follow through after releasing the ball.
Since you will likely be too focused on your ball, you will be unable to correct your own mistakes. For this reason, you should think about hiring a coach to achieve proper bowling form and mechanics.
Be Conscious of Your Mindset
Your mind should also be in it, so to speak. You will find that visualization, an effective technique that can be developed on your own, can be instrumental in pain prevention and management.
Basically, you will visualize yourself in your desired situation – and it should be a vivid visualization with close attention to details, too! You can visualize, for example, your physical form and mental state from picking up the ball to throwing it, even in hitting all the pins. Think of it this way: What your mind can conceive, your body can achieve.
Being proactive isn’t 100% protection against injuries but it will definitely help your game!