PHYSICAL THERAPY and EXERCISES for the Top 10 POOL PLAYER AILMENTS

[dr_dave]

FYI, I just posted a new 3-part series that I created with two licensed physical therapists. We look at the top 10 physical ailments that affect pool players and discuss causes and possible technique changes for each issue. Stretches and exercises to help prevent and rehabilitate each problem are also recommended and demonstrated. The ailments covered are listed in the Contents below. Check them out:

Contents:
I - NECK/BACK/CORE
1 - Neck Pain
2 - Pelvis Alignment Issues
3 - Lower Back Pain
4 - Hamstring Soreness
II - SHOULDER/ELBOW
5 - Shooting-Arm Shoulder Soreness
6 - Bridge Arm Shoulder Pain
7 - Elbow Pain
III - WRIST/HAND
8 - Hand Tension
9 - Index Finger Soreness
10 - Wrist Pain

As always, I look forward to your feedback, comments, questions, complaints, and requests.

Enjoy!

 

[dr_dave]

FYI, I just posted the first video of a new 3-part series that I created with physical therapists Brad Ott and Scott Rhodes of Rebound Sports & Physical Therapy. We look at the top 10 physical ailments that affect pool players and discuss causes and possible technique changes for each issue. Stretches and exercises to help prevent and rehabilitate each problem are also recommended and demonstrated. The ailments covered are listed in the contents below. Check it out:

Contents:
I - NECK/BACK/CORE
0:00 - Intro
0:48 - 1 - Neck Pain
3:32 - 2 - Pelvis Alignment Issues
8:32 - 3 - Lower Back Pain
12:00 - 4 - Hamstring Soreness
13:58 - Wrap Up
II - SHOULDER/ELBOW - URL TBA
5 - Shooting-Arm Shoulder Soreness
6 - Bridge Arm Shoulder Pain
7 - Elbow Pain
III - WRIST/HAND - URL TBA
8 - Hand Tension
9 - Index Finger Soreness
10 - Wrist Pain

As always, I look forward to your feedback, comments, questions, complaints, and requests.

Enjoy!

Am I the only one on AZB who has experienced many of these ailments? I've had to deal with all of them over the years. The ones currently giving me trouble are 2 and 5. Which ailments have caused the most trouble for you guys?

 

[muskyed]

1,3,6

 

[GoldCrown]

I have a nasty case of arthritis/stenosis....in my neck behind my head.... goes into my shoulders and kills me sometimes when trying to sleep. I will study these exercises later...thanks for posting

 

[dr_dave]

I have a nasty case of arthritis/stenosis....in my neck behind my head.... goes into my shoulders and kills me sometimes when trying to sleep. I will study these exercises later...thanks for posting

I hope they help. The 2nd video will have good stuff to help with shoulder issues.

 

[skogstokig]

Am I the only one on AZB who has experienced many of these ailments? I've had to deal with all of them over the years. The ones currently giving me trouble are 2 and 5. Which ailments have caused the most trouble for you guys?

disc hernia in lower back. and i have a snooker stance which is hard to unlearn..

that hip stretch exercise is on the right path. another version is putting a tennis ball under the right butt cheek while lying down, then put the right leg over the left knee. similar principle but more effective. i also encourage hip abduction, either on gym machine or lying down with rubber bands.

i've probably tried everything in this field, mckenzie, superman, decompression, all kinds of exercises and stretches targeting the back. and my conclusion is that for my (double) disc hernia it's way superior to target the hips

 

[Guy Manges]

Am I the only one on AZB who has experienced many of these ailments? I've had to deal with all of them over the years. The ones currently giving me trouble are 2 and 5. Which ailments have caused the most trouble for you guys?

At eight two I've got one that starts at my toe nails and goes all the way to my hair on top of my head... Guy

 

[dr_dave]

disc hernia in lower back. and i have a snooker stance which is hard to unlearn..

that hip stretch exercise is on the right path. another version is putting a tennis ball under the right butt cheek while lying down, then put the right leg over the left knee. similar principle but more effective. i also encourage hip abduction, either on gym machine or lying down with rubber bands.

i've probably tried everything in this field, mckenzie, superman, decompression, all kinds of exercises and stretches targeting the back. and my conclusion is that for my (double) disc hernia it's way superior to target the hips

One needs to be careful with back issues. Some exercises and stretches can make things worse. I probably should have included more disclaimers like this in the video. Working with a physical therapy professional is probably a good idea when it comes to back issues.

 

[dr_dave]

At eight two I've got one that starts at my toe nails and goes all the way to my hair on top of my head... Guy

My pelvis alignment problem has literally caused me problems from head to toe, including what I thought was a terrible tooth ache once. That was some of the worst pain I have ever experienced. It wasn't a tooth ... it was my bad hip alignment pulling on everything all the way up through my neck and up to the nerve in my jaw!

 

[Guy Manges]

My pelvis alignment problem has literally caused me problems from head to toe, including what I thought was a terrible tooth ache once. That was some of the worst pain I have ever experienced. It wasn't a tooth ... it was my bad hip alignment pulling on everything all the way up through my neck and up to the nerve in my jaw!

Just remember that the tip has got to start on the ball for it to be a push... Dave what I was meaning was at 82 I was trying to be humorous... Guy

 

[skogstokig]

One needs to be careful with back issues. Some exercises and stretches can make things worse. I probably should have included more disclaimers like this in the video. Working with a physical therapy professional is probably a good idea when it comes to back issues.

hip abduction should be safe, it's a very natural movement. not safe: doing lumberjack work with a 5 hp chainsaw the day after injuring your back..

 

[Rocket354]

Am I the only one on AZB who has experienced many of these ailments? I've had to deal with all of them over the years. The ones currently giving me trouble are 2 and 5. Which ailments have caused the most trouble for you guys?

1,3,4,6,7,10 through the years. Numbers 6 and 10 are my biggest issues currently.

They were not all caused by pool, but some of them have been exacerbated by pool. I've adapted and adjusted as needed. But I've spent a lot of my pool-playing years wondering if I was the only one having such issues because it seemed like others could play for hours with no adverse effects. Suffice to say, I'm glad you are covering this, and as someone going through his forties, I expect this video series should be extraordinarily helpful to me.

 

[dr_dave]

Dave what I was meaning was at 82 I was trying to be humorous... Guy

I have noticed many more ailments as I have gotten older. I'm sure that pattern will continue. But now I'm ready for it.

 

[dr_dave]

1,3,4,6,7,10 through the years. Numbers 6 and 10 are my biggest issues currently.

They were not all caused by pool, but some of them have been exacerbated by pool. I've adapted and adjusted as needed. But I've spent a lot of my pool-playing years wondering if I was the only one having such issues because it seemed like others could play for hours with no adverse effects. Suffice to say, I'm glad you are covering this, and as someone going through his forties, I expect this video series should be extraordinarily helpful to me.

I am surprised by how few views this video is getting compared to my normal stuff. I thought everybody had pool ailments like me. Maybe most of my regular viewers are young and haven't run into this stuff yet. They will eventually. Hopefully, they will remember that these videos are available when they need help.

 

[ChrisinNC]

I hope they help. The 2nd video will have good stuff to help with shoulder issues.

I’ve used a shoulder pulley for years to limber up my shoulders, particularly my left shoulder which for a right handed player is stretched out over the table.

 

[Vahmurka]

Great topic Dave! An important one.

 

[dr_dave]

I’ve used a shoulder pulley for years to limber up my shoulders, particularly my left shoulder which for a right handed player is stretched out over the table.

I shoulder pulley was key for me when I was recovering from shoulder surgery. I haven't needed it since, but maybe I'll give it a try again to see if it can help with my current upper arm and shoulder issues (tight muscles and impingement). The next video will have some good stretches for the shoulder that don't require any equipment.

 

[dr_dave]

Great topic Dave! An important one.

Thanks. I agree. This stuff has been critical for me to play with little or no discomfort.

 

[Poolmanis]

Not yet seen video but important topic. I got Rheumatism and could not play in 7 years due pain. Players over 30 years old should start working out so they could play over 40 and so on..

 

[Guy Manges]

I am surprised by how few views this video is getting compared to my normal stuff. I thought everybody had pool ailments like me. Maybe most of my regular viewers are young and haven't run into this stuff yet. They will eventually. Hopefully, they will remember that these videos are available when they need help.

Yes on ages, You are on film and they will come in time when needed... Guy