Week 16: The power of hydration

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Clutch performance requires practice, dedication, and a healthy amount of fluids.

It happens to everyone at some point. You play a sizzling front nine. At the turn, your momentum is propelling you to a great score. And then, somewhere around the 13th or 14th hole, disaster strikes. One bad hole leads to another, and your score suddenly looks average at best. Was the pressure of a great round too much? Or did you succumb to fatigue? Chances are good, when you see a golfer fold on the back nine, poor hydration has played an important role.

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What happens during dehydration?

Approximately 65% of your body is made up of water. The cells in your body need to continually replenish their water supply to function properly. As your body is constantly using up its water supply through sweat, breath, and the urine you produce to rid your body of waste, it is looking for a replacement supply of H20. By not replacing the water your body uses, several things begin to happen. Your brain begins to slow down. Toxins begin to back up in your body giving you an overall feeling of fatigue. And most dangerous of all, you cannot sweat to regulate your body temperature, which puts you at risk for heat stroke and even death.

How do you hydrate?

Don't wait until you get on the course to start drinking water. Start the day before by drinking a 10-ounce glass of water per hour. Try to get ten glasses of water in before you go to bed. But do not try to catch up by drinking several glasses of water in a row. Your body does not absorb water that quickly and you will feel sick. Slow and steady wins the hydration game. A slice of lemon in your water will not only add flavor, but potassium and vitamin C as well. On the day of your round, bring a half-liter bottle with you and try to finish it and refill every four holes.

What should you drink?

Water is perfectly fine for hydration. An electrolyte-filled sports drink that is low in sugar is great as well. Stay away from the sugary sports drinks, or you will feel a sudden bust in energy, followed by a sudden crash. They also require additional fluids and electrolytes to digest Try drinking colder fluids if you can. Your body can absorb colder fluids a lot faster than it can take in warmer fluids. Avoid drinking caffeine and alcohol if you can. Both are considered to be diuretics and will contribute to fluid loss in your body.

Are there other ways to hydrate?

Foods can aid hydration by providing essential minerals that allow the body to retain the water we drink between meals. Fruits such as apples, oranges, grapes, strawberries and watermelon all have a high water content and can help hydrate you. Even raw vegetables like celery or a green salad can provide nutrients that help you stay hydrated.

Hydration may not be the only thing slowing down your golf game. If your still struggling with knee pain during a long round, you might be suffering from osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. If you are living with OA, various treatments do exist, such as ORTHOVISC®, which provides up to six months of knee pain relief. Made from ultra-pure natural hyaluronan, which is found in healthy joints, ORTHOVISC® is injected into the knee joint where it acts to replace your natural joint fluid, to help cushion, protect, and lubricate your knee.

ORTHOVISC® is a proud sponsor of PGATOUR.com. Talk to your doctor to see if ORTHOVISC® is right for you. Or visit our Web site at www.orthovisc.com for more information on how to maintain your knee health to help you keep playing the game you love.

Follow us on Twitter for up-to-date information on maintaining joint health and the prevention/treatment of knee pain due to sports-related injuries or the early symptoms of osteoarthritis.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

ORTHOVISC® is for patients who do not get adequate pain relief from simple pain relievers like acetaminophen or from exercise and physical therapy. ORTHOVISC® is not for use in people with known allergy to hyaluronate preparations, to gram bacterial proteins, with infections or skin diseases in the area of the injection site or joint. Common side effects include joint pain, back pain, headaches and pain or redness at the injection site.

This is a paid placement by DePuy Mitek, Inc. The opinions expressed above are those of DePuy Mitek, Inc. and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the PGA TOUR.