Week 18: Play safely in the sun

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Enjoy a great round of golf in the sunshine without getting burned.

Many golfers use a sunny round of golf to add a little color to their complexion. But if you are not properly protecting yourself from the sun, you will do more than lose energy during the day. You could be putting your health at serious risk. With just a few small precautions, you can enjoy the sun as much as you can enjoy shooting under par.

Sunscreen

Apply your sunscreen 30 minutes before you go out on the course. Your skin needs time to absorb the lotion to receive the SPF protection it needs. Choose a sunscreen with at least an SPF of 15. An SPF of 30 is even more useful if you are going to be exposed to the sun for several hours. When you use an SPF of 15, it is the equivalent of spending one unprotected minute in the sun out of 15 minutes. Those unprotected minutes add up quickly. That is why you should reapply your lotion at least every 90 minutes, and even sooner if you are at greater risk for experience sun damage.

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If that sunscreen has been in your golf bag since last year, you should replace it immediately. Once the lotion passes its expiration date, it is far less effective. Be sure to apply it liberally, including the area under your shirt. Unless you are wearing clothing with SPF protection, most clothes do not offer as much sun protection as you think. To give you an idea, a typical white t-shirt has an SPF of 3. The tighter the weave of your clothing, the more protection it provides from UV rays. Darker colored clothing also provides better protection than lighter colored apparel.

Sunglasses

Choose a pair of sunglasses that block at least 99 percent of UVB rays and 95 percent of UVA rays. Studies have shown that eyes that are overexposed to the sun are more likely to develop cataracts.

Protecting Your head

A visor may make you look like a pro, but do not expect your hair to protect your scalp. The scalp is the most often burned part of the body, because many people don't think to apply lotion there. A hat offers excellent protection to your head and face. Unlike a baseball cap, a wide brim hat, one with at least a 2-3 inch brim around the entire hat, will offer protection over your ears and neck, two places where skin cancers are most likely to develop from sun exposure.

Find some relief

Of course, the best relief from the sun is a good shade tree. Use every opportunity you can between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to stay out of direct sun exposure. That is the time of day that the sun is at its strongest. You should also try to avoid spending too much time near the sand trap or the water hazard. Sand and water reflect the damaging rays that can burn you badly.

Make one annual checkup

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer. Nearly one million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed every year. Your best protection is to get a screening from a doctor once a year. Skin cancer is very treatable when detected early. If it is not, it can be fatal.

Sun damage isn't the only thing that can derail a great round. If knee pain is preventing you from finishing strong on the course, 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.