Description

The yips are involuntary wrist spasms that occur with greater frequency when the golfers are trying to putt. However, the yips can also affect the people who play other sports such as cricket, darts and baseball.

It was once thought that the yips were always associated with performance anxiety. However, it now seems that some people have the yips due to a neurological condition which affects the muscles specific. This condition is known as focal dystonia.

Changing the way you perform the affected task would help you to find the relief of the yips. For example, a right-handed golfer could try putting left-handed.

Symptoms

The most common symptom associated with the yips is an involuntary muscle jerk, although some people experience tremors, twitches, spasms, or freezing.

Causes

In some people, the yips are a type of focal dystonia, a condition that causes involuntary muscle contractions during a specific task. It is very likely that it is related to the excessive use of a certain set of muscles, similar to writer's cramp. The anxiety worsens the effect.

Some athletes become so anxious and self-centered — overthinking to the point of distraction — that their ability to perform a skill, such as the release, is affected. "Suffocation" is an extreme form of performance anxiety that can have a detrimental effect on a golf player or any athlete's game.

Risk factors

The yips tend to be associated with:

  • Advanced age.
  • More from the experience of playing golf.
  • The game of the tournament.

Diagnosis

There is no standard test to diagnose the yips. A neurological exam may be performed to rule out other possible causes. Diagnosis of the yips is based on the people that describe their symptoms. Video recording of the wrist during sunset to capture the movement associated with the yips can also help health professionals to make the diagnosis.

Treatment

Because the yips may be related to the excessive use of the muscle-specific, a change of technique or equipment can help. Consider the following strategies:

  • Change your grip. This technique works for many golfers, as the changes of the muscles that we use to make the putting stroke.
  • The use of different putter. More putter allows you to use more of your arms and shoulders, and less of the hands and wrists, while putting. The other putters that might help are designed with a special grip to stabilize the hands and wrists.
  • Look at the hole while putting. The change of position of the head and where your eyes focus can help. Try looking in the hole when you putt instead of down at the ball.
  • The mental skills training. Techniques such as relaxation, visualization or positive thinking can help reduce anxiety, increase concentration and ease fear of the yips.
  • Drugs. Treatment with medicines taken by mouth may help manage the yips. Benzodiazepines, baclofen and anticholinergic drugs can be used to treat focal dystonia, and propranolol can be used for the treatment of tremor.
  • Injection of botulinum toxin. A careful injection of botulinum toxin, such as onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox), incobotulinumtoxinA (Xeomin), abobotulinumtoxinA (Dysport) or botulinum toxin type B (Myobloc) in the muscles that are over-reacting can be used to treat focal dystonia. This can help limit muscle contractions and can calm the yips.

Before taking the medicine for the treatment of the yips, check with your sport's governing bodies if you compete professionally or in sanctioned amateur events. Rules regarding prohibited substances differ in the sport and of the organizations.

Preparing for your appointment

While you may initially consult with your primary care team can refer you to a health professional who specializes in sports medicine.

What you can do

You can write a list that includes:

  • Detailed descriptions of your symptoms.
  • Information about any medical problems you have had.
  • Information about the health problems of your parents or siblings.
  • All of the medications and supplements you are taking.
  • Questions you want to ask the health care team.

To yips, some questions to ask your health care team may include:

  • What could be the cause of my symptoms?
  • Is there a treatment for the symptoms?
  • I will always be affected by the yips?
  • Do you have any brochures or printed material that I can take with me? What sites do you recommend to get more information?

What to expect from your doctor

Your health care professional may ask detailed questions about how and when your symptoms occur. Also may want to observe your putting stroke. But due to that the yips are most likely to occur in the tournament conditions, it may be impossible to prove the yips in the command.

Ask your health care professional may be for you include:

  • When the symptoms usually occur?
  • How long have you been experiencing symptoms?
  • Do your symptoms occur with any other activity?
  • What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?
  • Does anything seem to make your symptoms worse?
Symptoms and treatment of Yips