Golfer’s elbow is an illness causing pain on the inner side of the elbow and can spread into the forearm and the wrist. Golfer’s elbow is similar to tennis elbow, only it happens on the inside, slightly on the outside part of the elbow. This illness not only happens to golfers, but it can happen to people who play tennis who are repeatedly using the wrist or clenching the fingers can acquire this condition. As a common injury in some sports, you can enroll in a first aid course so that you are prepared to manage this condition.
[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAy8q7yJAHM” width=”220″]Symptoms of golfer’s elbow
- The elbow feels a certain degree of stiffness and it may hurt in making a fist
- There is pain and tenderness on the inner side of the elbow and it can extend up to the inner side of the forearm.
- The hands and wrist are weak
- The person experiences numbness and a tingling sensation coming from one of the fingers, but usually involves the ring and the little fingers.
- The pain becomes worse when swinging a golf club or racket, shaking of hands, squeezing or pitching a ball, flexing of the wrist, lifting weights, and picking up something by using the palm.
Causes of golfer’s elbow
Medial epicondylitis also known as golfer’s elbow is caused by damage to the muscles and tendons that works in controlling the wrist and the fingers and the damage is caused by excessive or repetitive stress, like forceful movement of the wrist and fingers. Improper lifting techniques, throwing or hitting, and not adequate warm-up and poor conditioning can cause a Golfer’s elbow. Here are some activities that can cause a Golfer’s elbow:
- Incorrect position of gripping or swinging of the club can cause pain in the muscles and tendon.
- Doing an excessive top spin while playing tennis can cause pain in the elbow, and using a racket that is too small or heavy can cause pain.
- Poor pitching technique in playing baseball or football. Other games that can also cause a golfer’s elbow are football, javelin and archery.
- An improper technique in weight lifting, like doing bicep exercises, and curling of the wrist can cause overloading of the tendons and muscles of the elbow.
- A repetitive bending and straightening of the elbow can also cause a golfer’s elbow.
Treatment and home remedies
- First thing to do when the person has a golfer’s elbow is rest until the pain is gone.
- Applying an ice pack on the affected elbow for 15 to 20 minutes, at least three to four times a day for several days.
- Take over-the-counter medications like Advil and Motrin.
- Encourage the individual to perform some stretching exercises to strengthen the affected areas.
- Wrapping the elbow with a bandage or using a forearm strap to reduce load on the elbow.
Prevention
- Doing some simple exercises can help muscles absorb the energy before playing.
- Before playing, walk or jog for few minutes for warming up the muscles, and do some stretching of the muscles.
- Perform the correct techniques when playing like throwing, swinging, and hitting using the forehand.