Also known as tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow is one of the most common injuries that people playing garden sports experience. Also known as medial epicondylitis or pitcher’s elbow, it is a tendinopathy – a painful condition that affects the tendons.
Tendons are connective tissues that attach muscles to bones and a tendinopathy such as tennis elbow is usually due to overuse of the tendons. It may also be due to tiny tears in the tendon and it commonly occurs in the wrist, knee, shin, shoulders and heel.
A common condition, medial epicondylitis can be more harmful than we think. Nearly 44% of the golf-related injuries in Thailand are related to Golfer’s elbow.
The following article will look at the condition, describe its causes and list the preventive measures. Through these sections, you will be able to enjoy the sport while ensuring there’s minimal risk of this injury.
What is Golfer’s Elbow – Causes, Treatment and Preventive Measures
Golfer’s elbow is common in the pronator or flexor muscles of the forearm which shows how the sports it is associated with plays a significant role in its cause.
As said earlier, the medical term for the condition is medial epicondylitis as the forearm muscles originate on the medial epicondyle.
Furthermore, the medial epicondyle is innervated by the median nerve, along with flexor carpi ulnaris which is innervated by the ulnar nerve. It may be hard to visualize it if you are from a non-medical background.
But we’ll help you the best way we can:
Think of it as five long rubber bands that are being held at a point and tied together by two different strings. The two strings represent the nerves – let’s call String A median nerve and String B ulnar nerve.
String A holds four rubber bands – flexor digitorum, flexor carpi radialis, palmaris longus and pronator teres. On the other hand, String B holds just the flexor carpi ulnaris.
All of these come together on the central point – medial epicondyle. What’s more, the elbow is one of the most common areas that gets affected. However, there are other tendons that get affected – knees are quite close in prevalence.
Golfer’s elbow commonly affects the inside of the elbow due to inflammation of the tendon. The five muscles that attach the forearm to the bones get affected here, which is why you feel that burn in your forearms.
The constant hand-gripping motions in tennis and golf trigger the condition. Consequently why it is popularly known as Tennis elbow or Golfer’s elbow.
How does Golfer’s Elbow Feel?
Not great, obviously.
If you question how do I know if i have Golfer’s elbow – then here are some identifying characteristics that can help you identify it:
- Throbbing pain inside the elbow
- Tingling
- Weakness in the affected hand
- Numbness
Ignoring these signs even after a day or two can progress to a severe condition that may render the affected arm unusable until treatment.
The diagnosis of this condition includes:
- Examining the area displaying the symptoms
- Your doctor may palpate for tenderness in the affected area
- X-ray to confirm the diagnosis
The inflammation does not show up on the X-ray, but the procedure does help rule out other causes such as a broken bone.
Other common tests to help diagnose the condition include:
- Maudsley Test
- Electromyography (EMG)
- Ultrasound
All of these tests can help accurately diagnose the condition and treat it as soon as possible.
Treatment Options for Golfer’s Elbow
The treatment options for the condition includes the following:
- Physiotherapy
- Ice therapy
- Anti-inflammatory medicines such as naproxen sodium or ibuprofen
- Strengthening exercises
- Extracorporeal shock wave therapy
- Platelet-rich plasma therapy which concentrates platelets to help heal
- Surgery in extreme cases when normal therapy cannot help in 6-12 months.
Physiotherapy is one of the best golfers elbow treatment as it helps alleviate the pain. It also improves mobility and quality of life. Patients can find great relief from the condition through physiotherapy along with other treatment options.
You may also take pain medications such as anti-inflammatory medicines that work wonderfully in such cases. These medicines help relieve the pain due to their anti-inflammatory activity which reduces inflammation in the area.
In some cases, patients may have to stop playing for a while to allow complete rest and recovery. You may even apply an ice pack to reduce inflammation and thereby relieve the pain.
How To Prevent Golfer’s Elbow?
There are several ways you can prevent Golfer’s elbow. For instance, you must develop a habit of always stretching before playing or doing any strenuous activity. It is also important that you drink plenty of water and keep yourself appropriately hydrated.
This will allow proper health of the tendons and muscles thereby avoiding injury. In addition, it is important that you maintain the right form while playing and follow the trainer’s instructions.
Investing in the right equipment is also crucial to ensure your hands and arms are performing efficiently.
Ensure that you rest enough and well to give your muscles the time to recover. Take appropriate breaks in between practice and games to give yourself enough rest.
Be patient and complete your physiotherapy sessions and follow your doctor’s advice for better prevention. Always wear elbow brace or forearm and wrist strap for complete care.
Swing The Club With Extra Care!
Finally, make sure that you undergo regular physiotherapy sessions to not only help you address your golfer’s elbow but also maintain your overall health. Physiotherapy can address a lot of health conditions, including knee bursitis, so it really helps with your wellness.
Going to your physiotherapy sessions, avoiding heavy lifting and overuse of the affected arm after the therapy can help recover. You can go back to your game once the arm has completely healed.
However, you must ensure careful movements that do not strain the muscles beyond repair.
Get in touch with us to know more about our treatment options and assess your condition. Our dedicated team can guide you whenever you need!
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