Sports performance

Golf Rehabilitation and Performance Program

Golf Analysis Lab

Our goal at the Golf Analysis Lab is to maximize power and minimize risk of injury due to poor mechanics or overuse of incorrect muscle groups. Timing and sequencing is critical for efficiency in the golf swing, and is directly related to the longevity of play. We have an indoor driving bay with video analysis, accompanied by a physiological evaluation, which will enhance your capability of achieving that swing you’ve been working for. We set ourselves apart by using medical professionals skilled at determining impairments that prevent you from achieving your ideal swing. We will provide you with video analysis (that you can access 24 hours a day) along with a comprehensive home exercise program to achieve the strength, balance, stability and flexibility needed to improve your game.

The Swing

Although the ideal mechanics of the golf swing are complex, we begin by assessing the dynamics of your technique; including setup alignment of your posture. This is critical for the elimination of overcompensation throughout the swing. Mechanics of the backswing are also evaluated, including how well you rotate the hips and shoulders as well as your stability at the top of your swing. This is critical for the preparation of your downswing. Lack of balance at this point affects the spine angle and can lead to injury, poor plane management, loss of power, and direction control. Flexibility in trunk rotation ensures that the spine angle remains correctly aligned, maintaining rotation around the moment arm to impart maximum force on the ball.

We will train you on how to maximize the speed at which you uncoil, the “X-factor,” maintaining the ideal plane to generate power (30 degrees below the horizontal is ideal for transference of ground reaction forces from the back foot to the front foot). Taking advantage of the summation of these forces generates a large angular velocity of the club head, maximizing distance.

Chipping and Putting

Current research in biomechanics finds that to maximize the accuracy of chipping and putting shots, the golfer should produce a lower grip on the club and a slower, shorter backswing. Development of a motor plan is critical for consistent patterns of shoulder and wrist movements, ensuring a successful chip shot.

Tennis Rehabilitation and Performance Program

The Tennis Indoor Lab

The tennis indoor lab at The Wellness Institute consists of a 14×40 foot cushioned high performance half court. The ecofriendly training surface, supplied by Herculan©, is certified by the International Tennis Federation as a medium fast surface providing true ball bounce, excellent ball pace, and ideal slip and sliding properties for all playing skills. The surface is extended onto a large backboard to maintain consistent properties. Along with a ball feeding machine and tennis specific training equipment a comprehensive training package is offered.

Supported by tennis and rehabilitation professionals, the Tennis Lab offers a unique multi-dimensional training experience for both recreational and high performance players—rehabilitative training, stroke analysis, footwork analysis, skill development, biomechanical video analysis, specific performance-oriented training, and longevity-oriented training. Players should arrive with racquets, proper tennis shoes, and be ready to work on serves, volleys, groundstrokes, footwork, balance, and agility. Specific technique, strength, and flexibility issues are identified and addressed at the court surface.

Partnering With Tennis Professionals

For tennis professionals, the opportunity to ‘partner’ with the Wellness Institute adds preventive, rehabilitation, and performance dimensions to their programs. Our plan is to develop, ‘visiting coach’ programs and to build relationships with USPTR- and USPTA-certified professionals.

Wayne Lilley

Wayne, our resident tennis pro, is USPTR-certified; after a successful business career he retired early and constructed a tennis facility on the island of Nevis (St. Kitts) where he instructed for seven years. For the past 15 summers, he has taught tennis at Princeton, MA. During the Spring, Fall, and Winter, he resides locally in the Lowcountry, where he started the Beaufort County tennis teaching program. When not teaching, Wayne plays competitive tennis both locally and regionally. His teaching centers around performance and longevity, and with a graduate degree from M.I.T., his focus is on technique with a thorough understanding of biomechanics, leverage, balance and proprioception.

Sport-Specific Rehabilitative Therapy

On site rehabilitation professionals at the Tennis Lab assess players and identify proactive measures to address specific biomechanical impairments that limit potential and affect performance. This combination of ‘oncourt’ analysis, rehab, and ‘on-court’ return-to-sport progression is unprecedented. This mitigates the risk of reinjury as the progression from rehabilitative training and on court performance is seamless. Physical therapy and impairments are addressed as needed, maximizing potential.

Sport-Specific Skill, Strength and Flexibility Programs

Whether young or mature, the Tennis Lab offers specific benefits for recreational and performance-oriented athletes. All athletes will benefit from stroke and footwork analysis aimed at isolating technique issues and biomechanical errors that could result in overuse injuries and performance loss. Flexibility issues and muscle weakness, which result in activity restriction are identified in an active, on-court context, and is supported by rehabilitation and proper technique. Programs include individual analysis and multi-session group fitness programs, both on the court and in the studio, aimed at tennis-specific exercises, balance, strength, plyometrics and flexibility training.

Sport-Specific Biochemical Video Analysis

Biomechanical Video technology with expert analysis allows athletes to visualize, internalize, isolate errors, compare side-by-side with standards, and keep a video record to document changes and improvement. Videos will be provided online for subsequent off-site review private to the player-client on his/her mobile device or computer. Additionally, the technology can be used to liaise directly with our tennis professionals for remote analysis and remedial plan recommendation.

Additional Benefits

The Wellness Institute offers high level performance development including VO2 assessment for aerobic capacity, and development of endurance programs for improved fitness, strength training to develop critical muscles, plyometric training to increase connective tissue strength, cross training for improved performance and flexibility training. By providing ongoing assessment and comprehensive performance training programs, we strive to anticipate and prevent injury and chronic issues, maximizing athletic potential, longevity, and enjoyment of the sport of tennis.

Running Rehabilitation and Performance Program

Running, by nature of the impact forces generated, will over time result in overuse injuries. From shoe recommendation to computerized running analysis we can get you back on the road. Partnering with the Palmetto Running Company we offer 5k, 10k, Half Marathon and Full Marathon running programs to help you meet your personal goals.

Triathlon Rehabilitation and Performance Program

If you are interested in training for a triathlon, let us help you achieve your goals through direct, face-to-face contact, advice and program development from people who have lived it, survived it and gone back and done it again!

The Ironman triathlon is strongly regarded to be the epitome of endurance racing—a 140.2-mile race made up of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike race, and a marathon to finish, with a 17-hour cutoff time. Are you up to it? We can help you achieve your goal! Like any endurance event, it is more a mental race than a physical one. Of course, you have to do the training to prepare both your mind and body for the rigors of the race, but it starts and ends with willpower.

"If it weren’t for Craig and his fabulous crew at the Wellness Institute, I would have never been able to accomplish this amazing feat [Ironman Triathlon]. They are truly remarkable and I am very thankful."
Stacie Ricciardi

Your race preparation needs to be five disciplines: swim, bike, run, sleep, and nutrition. Training three times a week for each aspect of the race is a time commitment. That’s nine training sessions a week, plus a strength workout. Over-training, lack of sleep, staying injury-free, and fueling the body in such a way that it continues to get stronger is a science in itself!