Golf Elbow

Is there such thing as Golfer's Elbow

Many golfer's ask if there actually is such thing as golf elbow. Feeling pain in the elbow joint not just when playing golf but also when doing simple things like moving a chair or turning a tap? The answer is yes, this is likely to be golf elbow. Swinging your golf club too hard in the effort to belt the ball further can cause golf elbow. Slow your golf swing and control the contact of the club to the ball and you will reduce the risk of injury to your elbow.

Choose the Right Ball

To get the right distance but avoid injury to your elbow you need to use a controlled swing combined with the correct type of golf ball. 2-piece low spin, 3-piece or 4-piece balls. Make an informed decision when you buy golf balls and match your balls to your game.

Stretch

You can also stretch your forearm muscles by holding your affected arm out with your palm up and holding your fingers pull them back towards your elbow. You should feel the stretch in the forearm. Now with your palm facing down do the same thing. Stretch in this manner a couple of times a day and the situation should improve within a few weeks.

Further Reading

Here is an article on Golfer's elbow from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Golfer's Elbow

Golfer's elbow, or medial epicondylitis, is an inflammatory condition of the elbow which in some ways is similar to tennis elbow.

The anterior forearm contains several muscles that are involved with flexing the fingers and thumb, and flexing and pronating the wrist. The tendons of these muscle come together in a common tendinous sheath which is inserted into the medial epicondyle of the humerus at the elbow joint. In response to minor injury, or sometimes for no obvious reason at all, this point of insertion becomes inflamed.

Causes

The condition is called Golfer's Elbow because in making a golf swing this tendon is stressed; many people, however, who develop the condition have never handled a golf club. It is also sometimes called Pitcher's Elbow due to the same tendon being stressed by the throwing of objects such as a baseball, but this usage is much less frequent.

Treatment

Non-specific palliative treatments include:
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): ibuprofen, naproxen or aspirin
Heat or ice
A counter-force brace or "elbow strap" to reduce strain at the elbow epicondyle, to limit pain provocation and to protect against further damage.
Vibration therapy can be used for localized pain relief and inflammation with vibration therapy devices (Tenease) available for home use.

Before anesthetics and steriods are used, conservative treatment with an occupational therapist is attempted. Before therapy can commence, treatment such as the common rest, ice, compression and elevation (R.I.C.E.) will typically be used. This will help to decrease the pain and inflammation. The rest will help with the discomfort seeing as how Golfer's Elbow is an overuse injury. The patient can use a tennis elbow splint for compression. A pad can be placed anteromedially on the proximal forearm. The splint is made in 30-45 degrees of elbow flexion. A daytime elbow pad also may be useful, by limiting additional trauma to the nerve.

Therapy will include a variety of exercises for muscle/tendon reconditioning, starting with stretching and gradual strengthening of the flexor-pronator muscles. Strengthening will slowly begin with isometrics and pregresses to eccentric exercises helping to extend the range of motion back to where it once was. After the strengthening exercises, it is common for the patient to ice the area.

Simple analgesic medication has a place, as does more specific treatment with oral anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs). These will help control pain and any inflammation. The definitive treatment is, however, the injection into and around the inflamed and tender area of a long-acting glucocorticoid (steroid) agent. After causing an initial exacerbation of symptoms lasting 24 to 48 hours, this will produce a resolution of the condition in some five to seven days.

The ulnar nerve runs in the groove between the medial humeral epicondyle and the olecranon process of the ulna. It is most important that this nerve should not be damaged accidentally in the process of injecting a Golfer's Elbow.

If all else fails, epicondylar debridement (a surgery) will be effective. The ulnar nerve may also be decompressed surgically.

The overall prognosis is good. Few patients will need to progres to steroid injection and even fewer, less than 10%, will need surgical intervention.

Reference from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For further reading please find the following links to other sources on Golf Elbow: symptoms, stretches, treatment, causes and prevention .