YIKES - It’s YIPS
The last two bowling seasons have been very difficult for me. It took over a year to discover a name for my problem or any possible solution. I could not coordinate the beginning motion for bowling, starting the pushaway and first step at the same time. I would just stand there, frozen or, at best, one of the movements started but not both. Rocking back and forth or doing a Hokey Pokey motion with my right foot did not help. I experimented with various alternate options to solve this problem but nothing seemed to work. If I tried to force myself to move, the problem became even worse. It was mentally and physically exhausting.
After the first bowling season with this problem, I visited my family doctor twice and had a MRI. When every thing came back fine, I was referred to a neurologist and then to a neurophysiologist with exactly the same results – no explanation for the problem.
At the beginning of the second season, I continued to experience the same problem and was ready to give up bowling when a friend recognized the symptoms. It took her a few minutes to come up with the name and basic explanation – Yips, golfers freeze when putting. I began to research yips to see if it could possibly be my problem.
What I found was that my symptoms fit exactly and that most doctors do not know anything about this condition, it was named by golfers. Upon further research I found that if you have participated in a sport for 25 or more years where there is concentration on a target, a grip, and a repetitive motion you can permanently wear out the neuro-transmitters for the motion.
At this point I started looking for a sports therapist or anyone who had any idea how to solve my problem. I visited a chiropractor who was willing to work with me and also worked with a Brain Gym practitioner. I even called the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix because they had been working with golfers who had yips to document the problem.
Based on my research, I immediately started making changes: the grip on my bowling ball was changed, my target was moved further down the lane, and a fifth step was added. This is in addition to chiropractic treatments on my neck and back, and re-patterning my bowling brain from my left brain to my right brain.
It only took a few weeks to begin to see improvement, but it took all these changes in combination to make a difference. By the end of last season, I was able to return to my original grip and target, but believe that I will never return to the 4-step approach. Earlier diagnosis would certainly have helped immensely. I am still working on improving my right brain function but at least I am able to continue bowling without yips causing me the problems it once did.
I have written this article in the hopes that it might help anyone who experiences this same problem to find a solution without all the frustration. Thanks you Pat Sphar for providing this information on Yipes!
