Guide To Treating And Preventing Yips
The yips are involuntary spasms in the wrist that occur in athletes. While the condition is most often observed in golfers attempting to putt, the yips might affect sports like baseball, darts, and cricket as well. Originally, researchers believed the yips were exclusively caused by performance anxiety. But more recent research indicates some individuals get the yips because of a neurological condition called focal dystonia, which affects specific muscles. Patients may find relief if they change how they perform an affected task. It's also helpful to practice techniques to reduce anxiety. Even when the condition is caused by focal dystonia, anxiety can worsen the symptoms. Some athletes experience an impaired ability to execute skills because their anxiety and overthinking causes distraction.
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Adjusting Grip
In some cases, the yips may occur when an athlete has overused certain muscles. Adjusting the grip on the golf club can help alleviate symptoms for many golfers. When an individual's grip changes, they use different muscles to make the putting stroke. These muscles may not be overtaxed and might also not be affected by the yips in general. Golf grips are fitted to the club's handle, and they come in four average sizes: oversize, midsize, standard, and undersize. If individuals don't want to replace their golf grips entirely, they can customize it by adding layers of tape. When the grip isn't properly fitted, it can cause individuals to pull the ball through extra hand action, or it can limit their wrist pronation and shorten the potential shot distance.
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Change To A Different Putter
One thing that seems to help many golfers with the yips is to change to a different putter. When individuals use a longer putter, they can use the muscles in their shoulders and arms more effectively. Since the power is coming from the individual's arms and shoulders, they don't have to put so much strength into their wrists and hands. This can help prevent the spasms and twitches associated with the yips. Some golfers combine a new putter with a customized grip that helps with stabilizing their wrists and hands. If an individual is often affected by the yips during tournaments, it's a good idea to switch putters before important tournaments.
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Relaxation Techniques
Since the yips are worsened by anxiety, it helps to practice relaxation techniques, especially in high-pressure situations like tournaments. If individuals regularly practice these techniques both on and off the golf course, they'll find themselves experiencing less anxiety in their day-to-day life. One technique is focusing on the breath, where the individual takes deep breaths and slowly disengage their mind from distractions. A body scan technique is used to help individuals focus on different muscle groups and slowly relax the tension in them. With guided imagery techniques, individuals imagine soothing places or scenes to help them relax. Encouraging mantras can also be repeated to help the individual focus on the present and keep a positive mindset.
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Botox Injection
A botox injection can sometimes help with the yips as well. During this procedure, a doctor will inject onabotulinumtoxin A into whatever muscles are overacting and causing the yips. This helps limit involuntary contractions of the muscles, which means patients will experience fewer spasms and twitches. Botox injections tend to be helpful for patients whose condition is caused by an underlying neurological issue. Dystonia causes muscles to twitch involuntarily. Botox has been used to offer temporary alleviation of other types of dystonia by paralyzing the affected muscle. However, this type of treatment isn't perfect yet. If the dosage is too high, it might cause weakness in the muscles and lower overall functioning. Additionally, patients who have too-high doses the first time may require a second injection.
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Focus On What Not How
One way to manage performance anxiety is to focus on what, not how. The yips often happen when athletes are trapped in overthinking spirals that distract them from their ability to execute a task. Overthinking can lead individuals to fixate on how a shot needs to happen, how many strokes they need for this tournament, and how everyone else will see them. These kinds of big-picture thoughts aren't helpful during a shot; it's better for individuals to strategize in their downtime. When it's time to take a shot, Their only thoughts should be about the angle, force, wind, and other considerations affecting that individual shot. Once they've taken the shot, they can focus on other things.