Do You Have Golfer’s Elbow? Diagnosis, Treatment, and Recovery

Fore!!…………..

It’s that time of year again when the links are heating up….and so are complaints of elbow pain.  Many recreational golfers may experience pain on the inside of their elbows after picking up the clubs again this summer.  Some refer to this elbow pain as “golfer’s elbow”.  This condition can be very painful, and even causes some to give up the game.

This condition usually presents with tenderness on the inside of the elbow and can be exacerbated with resisted wrist motion in the direction of the palm.  It occurs when the muscles that bend the wrist become inflamed or irritated at their origin located at the inside of the elbow.  Generally this inflammation occurs with repeated, resistive forward motion of the wrist…..like swinging a golf club.

Your doctor can diagnose your condition with a simple exam.  Treatment can include anti-inflammatory interventions like ice and NSAIDS, cortisone injection, splinting, and therapy.  It is important to restore the normal balance between the muscles that bend the wrist forward and those that bend the wrist back, while preventing further inflammation.  Your therapist may prescribe stretching exercises, low level strengthening, and pain relieving techniques.

Recovery from “golfer’s elbow” may be quick for some, but not for others.  It is important to respect your pain and not “play through it”.  Your body is speaking to you through its discomfort….LISTEN!  If you attend to your symptoms early on, the sooner you will be playing pain free, with the birdies chirping in your ear!

If you would like to learn about other ways to improve your health and performance in regards to golf, please visit our Athletico Golf Performance Center.

The Athletico blog is an educational resource written by Athletico employees. Athletico bloggers are licensed professionals who abide by the code of ethics outlined by their respective professional associations. The content published in blog posts represents the opinion of the individual author based on their expertise and experience. The content provided in this blog is for informational purposes only, does not constitute medical advice and should not be relied on for making personal health decisions.

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