Learn How to Help Golfers Elbow with Exercises and Rest

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Friday, November 9th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed

In this article we are going to discuss what golfers elbow is, how to tell if you have it and also what are some golfer’s elbow exercises. Golfers elbow, tennis elbow (sometimes confused for) and other names, basically refer to the same part of the arm but are different. You are going to have a pain in the bony part of the elbow when you go to grasp something. Tenderness and pain at the medial epicondyle, made worse by flexing the wrist. The pain may spread down the forearm. Activities that use the flexor muscles like bending the wrist or grasping can make matters worse

Golfers Elbow or if you like the medical term called “Medical Epicondyitis”. What this is the muscular or even tendon pain a the medial epicondyle of the elbow. To know what this part is, cross your forearm in front of you leaning it on a table, you are on the medial epicondyle. This is the small bony part that is found at the end of the humerus bone of the upper arm. This attaches several flexor muscles and also the triceps and biceps muscles of the upper arm.

The muscles of the forearm that pull the wrist down are called wrist flexors. They begin at a common tendon attachment on the inside bump of the elbow called the medial epicondyle. As the wrist is flexed or the hand made to grip, the muscles tense and pull against the tendons. Force placed on the flexor muscles during a golf swing pulls on the tendons at the medial epicondyle. Typically there is no numbness with this disease. But if you are noticing numbness you need to seek medical attention immediately.

Golfer’s elbow symptoms are very similar to a condition called cubital tunnel syndrome. This condition is caused by a pinched ulnar nerve.

There are many activities that will cause Golfers Elbow other than just playing golf. Some of these are:

Working out at the gym

Prolonged periods of working on the computer

forearms rest on a tabletop, desk, or armrest of a chair.

These activities use the same muscles and with the repetitive activities can cause inflammation of the muscles, ligaments and the tendons.There are a couple of other strains that are sometimes confused for Golfers Elbow. Lateral Epicondylitis (Tennis Elbow) and bursitis are the two that are sometimes confused with Golfers Elbow. Golfer’s Elbow, is similar to , Tennis Elbow. The difference is the location where the pain is and the activity. But both problems are caused by overuse and are forms of tendonitis.

Symptoms for Golfers Elbow

Some of the symptoms that you are going to experience are these.

You are going to have a pain in the bony part of the elbow when you go to grasp something.

Tenderness and pain at the medial epicondyle, made worse by flexing the wrist or bending the wrist with the palm down.

The pain may spread down the forearm.

Activities that use the flexor muscles like bending the wrist or grasping can make things worse.

Experience pain by lifting or bending the are or when grasping even light objects like a cup of tea

You can have difficulty when trying to extend the forearm fully ( this is because of the inflammed muscles, legaments and tendons)

This pain can last as much as 6-12 weeks or for as little as 3 weeks, but the pain can also last for years.

This is one of the reason’s that you see people wearing golfers elbow support items like braces or straps on their arms when playing golf. Golfers are die hards and are just not willing to allow enough time for healing.

How to Help Prevent Re-Injury and Treating Golfers Elbow

Most of the ways to help with this disease all have a common theme that apply to healing tendonitis type problems.

Stretches prior to the activitiy

REST is the main remedy. Give the arm time to heal

You can massage the area (this will help relieve the stress and tension in the muscles and tendons

After the above healing, then try some golfers elbow exercises to help strengthen the muscles and tendons and to help prevent re-injury. If you have to go and do what originally caused the problem at least warm the area up for 10 minutes. You can use some easy stretching exercises to loosen up the muscles.

Take frequent breaks.

Take some aspirin or ibuprofen for mild cases. This will help address the inflammation and the pain while you are resting the injury.

Physical Therapy

For bad cases of Golfers Elbow, you may need Cortisone injection

Apply and massage in some OxyFlex comfort creme

Worst case after all else fails is surgery

Here is a site that has some great information on strengthening Golfers Elbow Exercises. Here you will find wonderful exercises for golfers elbow that will help you relieve and strengthen the muscles and tendons to prevent future injuries. These golfers elbow stretches if used and done consistently will help in the long run.

For more information on this and other tendonitis symptoms visit: Tendonitis Cures

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