What Is Golfer’s Elbow?
Medial epicondylitis, commonly known as golfer’s elbow, is a painful condition resulting from repeated contractions of the forearm muscles that cause inflammation and micro-tears in the tendons attaching to the medial epicondyle. This condition is similar to tennis elbow, but it occurs on the inside of the elbow, while tennis elbow occurs on the outside. Both conditions are classified as a type of tendonitis, which refers to inflammation of the tendons.
Causes
Golfer’s elbow, also known as medial epicondylitis, is a condition caused by the overuse of the forearm muscles and tendons that control wrist and finger movement, as well as direct trauma such as a fall, car accident, or work injury.
The condition is often seen in golfers due to poor technique or unsuitable equipment when hitting the ball, but it can also occur in other activities that require repetitive motion of the forearm, such as painting, hammering, typing, and gardening, among others.
Symptoms
Golfer’s elbow can manifest with several signs and symptoms, such as sudden or gradual elbow pain, achy pain on the inner side of the elbow during activity, elbow stiffness with decreased range of motion, pain that radiates to the inner forearm, hand or wrist, weakened grip, increased pain while gripping objects, and increased pain in the elbow when the wrist is flexed or bent forward towards the forearm.
Treatment Options For Golfer’s Elbow
Conservative Treatment
When treating golfer’s elbow, your doctor may suggest the following conservative options to alleviate your symptoms:
Activity restrictions: Avoid activities that exacerbate your symptoms and rest your arm.
Orthotics: Wearing splints or braces can help reduce stress on the affected tissues.
Ice: Applying ice packs to the injured area for 20 minutes at a time, four times a day can help reduce pain and swelling.
Medications: Anti-inflammatory drugs and steroid injections may be prescribed to alleviate pain and inflammation.
Occupational therapy: Once your symptoms have improved, your doctor may recommend occupational therapy to help you stretch and strengthen your forearm.
Pulsed ultrasound: This is a therapeutic technique that can break up scar tissue and stimulate blood flow to the injured tendons.
Professional instruction: Consult a sports professional to assess your technique and equipment and suggest changes that may prevent recurrence.
Surgical Treatment
If non-surgical treatment options fail to improve the condition and symptoms of golfer’s elbow, surgery may be recommended by your physician after 6-12 months. The aim of the surgery is to remove the damaged tissue around the inner elbow, enhance blood flow to the area to promote healing, and alleviate the symptoms associated with golfer’s elbow.