[Niigata University of Health and Welfare] Faculty member from the Department of Physical Therapy to accompany professional golfer Nasa Hataoka as trainer on "LPGA Tour," the pinnacle of women's golf

Yukihiro Yokota, a lecturer in the Department of Physical Therapy at Niigata University of Health and Welfare (part of the NSG Group), will accompany professional golfer Nasa Hataoka as a physical therapist, providing conditioning support on the LPGA Tour, the highest level of women's golf.

This assignment was made possible through collaboration in both education and clinical practice with Yohei Takada, representative of "FuncPhysio," a physical therapy clinic in the United States, and "PRIISM Golf Lab TOKYO," a conditioning facility specializing in golf. Mr. Takada also serves as an adjunct lecturer in the Graduate School's Clinical Manual Physical Therapy course at our university. Lecturer Yokota and Mr. Takada trained under a common educational system at the "Institute of Physical Art (IPA)," a postgraduate educational institution for physical therapists in the U.S. Based on the trust built through their past collaborations, Yokota's participation in supporting Hataoka throughout the year has been decided.

Yukihiro Yokota, Lecturer

The LPGA Tour is the highest level of women's golf, where top players compete throughout the year in various countries around the world. For approximately two months, Lecturer Yokota will travel with Hataoka to each tournament venue, responsible for total conditioning to support her athletic performance, including daily physical condition assessments, preparation for practice and matches, post-match recovery, and injury prevention.

Overview

[Assignment Period] July 4, 2026 – August 31, 2026

[Assignment] LPGA Tour professional golfer Nasa Hataoka

[Background of Assignment]

This assignment was realized as part of a collaborative activity based on a service agreement between our university and PRIISM Golf Lab TOKYO. The initiative began when Mr. Takada, who has been continuously in charge of Nasa Hataoka's conditioning, reached out.

Lecturer Yokota and Mr. Takada trained under a common educational system at the Institute of Physical Art (IPA), a postgraduate educational institution for physical therapists in the U.S., and have also collaborated in educational and clinical aspects of our university's graduate program in Clinical Manual Physical Therapy.

Through this cooperative relationship, Yokota was invited to join the LPGA Tour as a member of the team supporting Hataoka throughout the year. Subsequently, after trial sessions with Hataoka to confirm physical assessments and intervention strategies, the formal request for accompaniment was accepted.

[Main Support Content]

- Assessment of physical function

- Conditioning before and after practice, and before and after matches

- Response to fatigue and pain

- Recovery support

- Injury prevention

- Condition management considering long-distance travel, time differences, and environmental changes

- Total conditioning to allow the athlete to focus on competition with peace of mind

[Conditioning Support]

- Interventions that respect the athlete's own sensations and requests

- Avoiding drastic changes in physical condition during tournaments

- Collaboration with coaches and other specialized staff

- Highly individualized support based on physical structure and movement characteristics

- Comprehensive condition management including not only physical function but also sleep, fatigue, time differences, and psychological state

[Lecturer Yokota's Comment]

I am deeply honored to have the opportunity to support Nasa Hataoka, who competes on the world's highest stage, and I also feel a great responsibility in supporting her athletic career and performance.

During the tour, I will check Hataoka's physical condition before and after practice and matches, and provide conditioning that includes addressing fatigue and pain, recovery, and injury prevention. I aim to support Hataoka not only in achieving results in each tournament but also in allowing her to concentrate on her competition with peace of mind over the long term and to perform at her best at all times. I will also work closely with Yohei Takada, coaches, and other specialized staff, fulfilling my role as a team member while respecting each person's expertise.

Physical therapists are professionals who not only support recovery from injuries and illnesses but also specialize in assessing the body and unlocking each individual's potential. I want to convey the appeal and possibilities of physical therapy to students studying at our university and to those considering their future careers. Our university provides an environment where learning can be achieved by mutually connecting education, research, and clinical practice. I intend to apply the experiences and challenges gained through this assignment to future educational and research activities, leading to the practice of higher quality physical therapy.

[Niigata University of Health and Welfare] https://www.nuhw.ac.jp/

This is a comprehensive health sciences university with six faculties and 16 departments, offering studies in nursing, health sciences, rehabilitation, nutrition, sports, welfare, and health IT, making it one of the few such institutions in the country. By fully leveraging the advantages of being a comprehensive health sciences university, our institution provides practical learning in "team medical care," which is essential in the healthcare field. Furthermore, we have established an organized system for supporting qualification acquisition and employment support across the entire university, achieving top-class national examination pass rates and high employment rates nationwide. Additionally, by utilizing the unique environment of our university, which includes sports-related departments, we offer learning that integrates sports with fields such as "sports" x "medical care," "rehabilitation," and "nutrition.

<About NSG Group>

NSG Group is a corporate group composed of 101 organizations that, with education and medical/welfare/nursing care as its core, engages in a wide range of businesses including health and sports, construction and real estate, food and agriculture, trading companies, advertising agencies, ICT, hotels, apparel, beauty, human resource services, and entertainment. Aiming to make each region "the most prosperous and happiest town in the world," we are engaged in creating businesses that revitalize regions from a private sector perspective, with keywords such as "people," "security," "jobs," and "attractiveness."

<NSG Group Homepage> https://www.nsg.gr.jp/