Yips

Overview

The yips are sudden, uncontrolled movements of the wrist or hand. They most often happen when golfers are putting. But the yips can affect people who play other sports, such as cricket, darts and baseball.

In the past, researchers thought that yips were caused by performance anxiety. Researchers now know that, for some people, the yips are caused by a condition in the nervous system that affects certain muscles. This condition is called focal dystonia.

Changing how you perform the affected activity may help reduce symptoms. For example, a golfer might change their grip or use a different putter.

Symptoms

The most common symptom of the yips is a sudden muscle jerk. Some people also may have shaking and twitching. And muscle spasms or brief freezing of movement also are symptoms of the yips.

Causes

For some people, the yips are caused by focal dystonia. This is a condition that causes muscles to contract without control during a specific activity. It most likely is linked to overuse of certain muscles, similar to writer's cramp. Anxiety can make the symptoms worse.

For other people, the yips are related to performance anxiety. They may become overly anxious or focus too much on their movements. This can interfere with their ability to perform a skill, such as putting. Choking is an extreme form of performance anxiety that can negatively affect performance in golf and other sports.

The yips are not usually inherited. In some cases, a genetic tendency may affect how the brain controls movement. This can make symptoms more likely after years of repetitive practice or under stress.

Risk factors

The yips are more common in people who:

• Are older.
• Have played golf for many years.
• Play in tournaments.