Yips: An Investigation of Causes and Treatments in the Context of Golf

Abstract

<h3>Introduction</h3> Yips are a physical phenomenon, like dystonia, that have plagued athletes and ended careers. They can be difficult to describe specifically given their variable manifestations. They tend to come on suddenly, with no forewarning signs. Mostly recognized in the games of seasoned athletes, Yips are often difficult to visualize by the inexperienced eye. An afflicted professional athlete must fix the problem or abandon their career, thus resulting in significant psychological and neurological distress. While symptoms are well-documented; causes and treatments are not. Taking a break may improve symptoms. In golf, instructors typically suggest developing new muscle memory using a different technique. Overall, golfers do many things to get around Yips, but not much to cure them. The psychological impact of losing a superior skill can be quite disabling. Hence, preventing, treating, and curing Yips is important. The objective of this pilot research was to gather data on Yips for the purpose of guiding future research on causes and treatments. Some research suggests Yips have similarities to focal dystonias which afflict older adults as well. There are concerns regarding association of Yips with age-related changes, and limited findings or treatments for this particular condition highlight the disparity in the elderly community. <h3>Methods</h3> Golf was the chosen platform to study Yips as they are most common in golfers and golfing at higher levels would have a more extensive variety of solutions to investigate. Study participants were recruited for an initial phone screening appointment, and potentially an in-person survey with stroke demonstrations. Analyses of participant survey responses were conducted using Chi-Squared Corrected Yate's Test and Fisher's Exact Test statistical methods. Participants were divided into two groups: Yips and no Yips (controls). Data was collected at a large multi-specialty medical center in New York. <h3>Results</h3> Study had difficulties finding participants. As a result, statistical analyses were hindered. There were some associations calculated between Yips and the categories Infection/Illness and Trauma as depicted in Table 1. Beyond the statistics, important information was documented on treatments used by those with Yips and their outcomes. It was found that "treatments" were more about finding a way to get around a Yip as opposed curing it. Additionally, it was learned that the term Yip is sometimes incorrectly used to describe a bad swing. There was a remarkable observation as to similarities between Yips and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms. <h3>Conclusions</h3> A significant outcome of this study was building an initial prototype for continued research and focus on this important subject. Significant associations between Yips and Fever, Yips and Sore Throat and Yips and Trauma were determined, all of which indicated a negative relationship. Additionally, a table was assembled containing methods used by study participants to treat their own Yips along with their outcomes. From observations of participants answering the survey in person, it was noted that the onset of Yips was a stressful event. Despite never being diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, a Yip has similarities to symptoms of a panic attack. From this observation, a recently published Propranolol study came to mind where emotions involved with a specific trauma were lessened via a therapy/Propranolol protocol. This may prove helpful for treating/curing Yips. Two participant surgeries post Yip onset dealt with overuse. One was a Carpel Tunnel Syndrome procedure and the other was to fix "Trigger Fingers". This finding supports overuse as one suspected etiology of Yips. It was found that participants did attempt using alcohol to improve their games and Yips. No one reported that alcohol helped with Yips. Finally, a concern arose from this study upon realizing that Yips come on unexpectedly, and possibly players need to be more aware and/or educated on what to look for to create prevention strategies. Even in the overuse scenario, no one complained of overuse symptoms occurring before their Yip. Without anything to look for, causes become more difficult to discern and this may be the main reason why causes and treatments of Yips remain so perplexing. <h3>This research was funded by</h3> In addition to the cost of the research program provided by Orange Regional Medical Center/Garnet Health Medical Center, a small amount of funding was provided by Kian-Taj C. Afrassiabian, DO. Chart: https://apps.aagponline.org/abstracts/uploads/2022/59kxam63rrp7c5u.pdf