ARTICLES

Are you searching for a way to accelerate muscle growth and recovery—without getting injured from heavy lifting? Discover Blood Flow Restriction Training (BFR), a breakthrough technique offered at Integrative Therapeutics in Ellisville, MO. What Is Blood Flow Restriction Training (BFR)? Blood Flow Restriction Training (BFR) is an innovative exercise and rehabilitation method that uses specialized cuffs to partially restrict blood flow to the arms or legs during low-load resi

What Is Cupping Therapy? Cupping is an ancient healing technique that has been used in Egypt, Greece, China, and Islamic medicine for thousands of years. Here in Ellisville, Missouri, cupping is a powerful tool we use for both athletic recovery and rehabilitation. Perhaps the most notable individual to promote cupping was Michael Phelps during the 2016 Olympics. The circular marks on his shoulders and back were broadcast around the world, clear indications of his approval of

Introduction: What is PEMF Therapy? Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) therapy is an innovative, non-invasive treatment that uses low-frequency electromagnetic waves to stimulate cellular repair and enhance natural healing. At our Ellisville, MO clinic, we use PEMF therapy to help athletes, golfers, pickleball enthusiasts, and active adults recover faster, reduce pain, and improve performance. How Does PEMF Therapy Work? During a PEMF session, you’ll lie comfortably while a

Want to improve your golf game? The answer might be in your kitchen, not just on the driving range! You heard right, as the St. Louis Golf Doc I see firsthand how the right nutrition can transform performance on the course. Why Golf Nutrition Matters for Performance When golfers visit my clinic to improve their swing, I often get funny looks when I ask about their diet. "What does my diet have to do with my golf swing?" you might ask. Well, here's the truth : Your body is the

Motion capture technology at work—sensors on the golfer capture precise movement data that appears as 3D models on the computer screen for analysis. Introduction: Your Body is a Biomechanical Masterpiece Have you ever wondered why your golf swing feels inconsistent, even after countless hours on the driving range? The answer lies in understanding how your unique body mechanics work together during the swing. Your body is an incredible biomechanical system featuring nerves, bo

Golfers across St. Louis and beyond are discovering that the secret to unlocking true distance potential isn’t just about swing mechanics or the latest driver—it’s about combining evidence-based physical therapy with Golf Smarter strategies, guided by the expertise of the Saint Louis Golf Doc, Dr. David Didlake, DPT . If you’re ready to drive farther, play pain-free, and Golf Smarter, you’re in the right place! Why Golf Demands Both Power and Precision—And How the Saint Louis

Imagine you wake up one day and suddenly realize you can't don your socks without sitting down, or that you can't swing your golf clubs without experiencing back pain. For millions of Americans, these functional limitations can develop gradually until they become an unexpected challenge or are too painful to perform. For most of us, it's routine to schedule dental cleanings twice a year, or to have a yearly check-up with a physician, yet a majority of Americans ignore one of

Body Tempering to the Low Back Historically, the term tempering has been associated with metal work - a process used to harden metal. However, body tempering  is a recently developed soft tissue treatment that has been found to help reduce pain, improve soft tissue extensibility, and facilitate tissue repair ( Avalos et al. 2018 ). So while the tempering of old hardened metal, present-day body tempering reduces the stiffness of soft tissues, though ironically, it does so wit

Disclosure: Some links in this article are affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through them—at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products that I trust and believe can benefit your recovery or performance journey. WHAT ARE PROTEINS? Protein is vital for human survival! That may sound hyperbolic (and poetic), but without protein our bodies wouldn’t be able to fight infections, synthesize hormones, assist with cellular division,

Did you know that the fastest growing sport in America is pickleball? According to a 2024 Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) report , pickleball grew to 13.6 million players in the United States. That's roughly 3 million more players than the entire population of Sweden (which according to Sweden's official website is 10.6 million people). What's more is that from 2001 to 2017 approximately 33% of pickleballers who sought medical assistance for an injury suffered

Disclosure:  Some links in this article are affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through them—at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products that I trust and believe can benefit your recovery or performance journey. What Is Creatine and How Does It Work? Creatine is an organic acid made in the liver, kidneys, pancreas, and brain ( Wyss & Kaddurah-Daouk, 2000 ) . Now that might sound really scientific, but I promise we aren't goi

Proper power generation combines mobility, timing, and force production for maximum distance The Science Behind Power in Golf It's no secret that if you want to drive the ball farther, you need to maximize your power output. But what exactly is power? POWER DEFINED Power can be defined as the time rate of doing work, where work equals the product of the force being exerted on an object and the distance the object moves. By using the following two equations, we can also define

The Suprising Truth About Elbow Pain in Golf! Did you know that golfer's elbow is 4 times less common than tennis elbow (Wolf et al., 2010)? Yet many golfers suffer from both conditions simultaneously! As a golf medical specialist, I've seen firsthand how specific swing characteristics can lead to painful elbow conditions that keep you off the course. Understanding Elbow Pain: Medial vs Lateral Epicondylitis What's Really Happening in Your Elbow? In medical terms, golfer's e

Introduction We all know that if you want to be good at something, like playing golf, the old adage of "practice makes perfect" rings true. But how much practice is needed, and what kinds of practice are best suited to optimize performance and learning? This article explores different types of practice and shares research-backed tips on how to optimize your training. Whether you're a parent of a young golfer or someone who started later in life, these insights will help make

Why Breathing Matters We can't survive without it for more than a few minutes. And no, I'm not talking about smartphones, the internet, or even golf! While breathing doesn't cost money, improper breathing can cost you decreased function, pain, and reduced movement efficiency . In my professional opinion, breathing represents one of the most important yet underappreciated aspects of physical health—often overlooked as a significant source of dysfunction. What Defines Good Brea

Introduction These are voyages for anyone but the faint of heart! While our mission is to discover the source and cause of our client's pain, it can be a strange world, especially to those unfamiliar with how their body perceives and responds to pain. So if pain is something that is confusing to you, or you'd like to learn more about how the human body perceives and responds to pain, join me as we boldly go where no one has gone before! Pain Defined Pain has been defined as a

May the Force Be With You! Happy May 4th to my fellow Star Wars and golf fanatics! The force is strong with this article. By combining Star Wars and golf, I believe we've created a powerful approach to understanding golf performance. Imagine Darth Vader on a par 5 - would he score anything but a hole in one? "Um, excuse me sir, but you can't...(cough, choke, gasp)". Imagine, eighteen consecutive hole in one's! However, while we mere mortals can't use supernatural powers, we c

Introduction to Headaches According to the World Health Organization (WHO), headaches affect 3.1 billion individuals every year, imposing substantial personal suffering while negatively impacting quality of life ( WHO 2024 ). Global Health Estimates (GHE) found that headache disorders were the third highest cause of disability worldwide, following stroke and dementia ( GHE 2020 ). In short, headaches are a worldwide problem that impact nearly everyone! And while headaches may

Understanding the Biomechanics of Your Golf Swing Did you know that the human body is composed of 206 bones, 600 muscles, 900 ligaments, and over 7 trillion nerves?! That's a lot to contemplate, and to think the body works "in unison" during your golf swing is even more amazing! And because there are literally thousands of moving parts, there are lots of things that can (and oftentimes do) go wrong. Like when your arms move before your pelvis ( casting ), or when you move you

Tissue repair and healing following an injury is a complex process involving biological, psychological, and social components. This...