[Vickie]

Hi duck hook, Well first of all, if you follow Yoda's advice you will probably see a reduction in elbow discomfort over the next couple of months because the TGM mechanics 'save' the elbow and back more than other, and I use the word "other" lightly, golf theories. In the mean time you may be developing some distress in the elbow because of a misalignment in your general posture that forces an emphasis on the elbow joint when you bend forward in address and thereafter. So . . . get on a full alignment/flexibility program and then add some strength training motions to balance the agreements of the muscles around your shoulders. Technically if your chest, back and shoulders are doing their job your elbows should just facilitate your swing and not cause it. Ok let me clarify, even though (as per 7-3) you are throwing or driving the elbow for impact, the action is created by the muscles of the pectoralis and tricep on the elbow and that hinge joint (i.e. elbow) facilitates the action. What we do is over grip the club instead of paying attention to the pressure point and thereby over use the attachments to the joint and create distress or dis-ease in the soft tissue. Check your pressure point especially your index finger on the clubshaft (START WITH 6-C-1 to check your power package and work backwards). If you loose any of these connections then you must over compensate with your forearm and it will create an additional force against your elbow joint. At all cost avoid the dreaded 'wrist whippy' action, it is doom for the elbow.

Nutritional Supplements? There are thousands of combinaions and this is risky because I am not going to display a complete disclaimer but here goes. . . check with your doctor . . . this is not a perscription . . . this is not a diagnosis . . . use your good judgement . . . and check with your doctor . . .ok I feel protected. Now . . . In my experience: Glucosamine and Chondroitin work best together and are most effective when there is 'true' arthritic developments in your joints. Sharks Cartilidge is most effective on near injuries that are caused from over-use or acute injury without long term damage to the joint. MSM seems to be most useful for over-use symptoms that are not constant or particularly predictable, sort of a systemic syndrome of achy joints but with not real pattern. Eech! I've never put that down in print and it's not complete and there's reams I could say but . . . .it is just very individualized. The trickiest thing about supplements is that they help your body do it's job as opposed to pharmaceuticals that come in and do the job for your body, which is why they (pharms) offer immediate results. So it can take your supplements 30-90 days to let you know if you have the right formula (And you never really know how much they save your organs). I recommend that you go to a really good health food store, not a chain but one that has the owner walking around and knowing what he is selling and have a consultation and let them help you set up a protocol. I have 60 private clients (yes mostly golfers) and they are all on different supplement protocols, some only on specific food choices some on combinations of the supplements. This really calls for trust in a professional, don't try to learn every thing yourself.

As to the DRUGS. Well it's scary and we, in my industry, have been scared for a long time. I really wanted to be proven wrong about vioxx and celebrex (and homone replacement, for the record). I have two clients 80 plus years that I actually advised to go back on their drugs while they replaced them with natural supplements and dietary adjustments and we will ween them off over the next three months. Both came off the day they heard the announcement and both were in agony within 72 hours. The fact is, it probably won't kill your liver tomorrow if you'be been taking it for six years. Would I recommend going on it? Not a chance. Not then, not now.

The real answer is to create a balance of tension around your joints early in life, maintain it, eat right and only supplement when necessary. For those of us that didn't catch it before the damage was done, I have good news . . .You can still change it. It just takes a little longer and a decisive adjustment in the responsibility you take around your health.

Massage Therapy . . .LOVE IT! I don't like deep tissue, I do my stretches and use my supplements and let the experts massage my muscles to a quiet, relaxed place so that they don't reek ( how do you spell that word?) havoc on my joints. The only thing you need to know about massage is that you have to feel like you can communicate with your therapist. If you are sore for two days after your massage, it's probably too much unless you make a million dollars a year using your body, Michael Vick probably has an opinion about this (maybe we'll wait and hear it next year). Talk to your massage therapist and let them work with you to create your best experience. Sometimes I need work on a specific area, sometimes I just need to relax . . . you need to have someone working on you that understands that.

Whew, I am full of opinions tonight. Hope this is helpful. When you wake up from reading it all let me know your next question. I should have created a couple. I also have some incredible people in the health care industry you could talk to about supplements if you would like a referral. Don't hesitate to ask, argue, or question.

Vik