Golfer’s Elbow : Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention Tips

Golfer’s Elbow : Symptoms, Treatment

Everyone in India is aware of the “tennis elbow” which put the great Sachin Tendulkar out of international cricket for a considerable time.

“The pain was so immense that I thought of giving up cricket for good”, said the legend in one of his interviews and that is how serious tennis elbow can be.

The point of discussion today, the golfer’s elbow is similar if not more complex than the tennis elbow.

Both tennis and golfers’ elbow are overuse injuries that affect different locations of the elbow.

Golfer’s Elbow : Symptoms, Treatment

You don’t have to be Sachin Tendulkar or Tiger Woods level athlete to pick up these painful conditions. They can happen to anyone at any time and the best thing one can do is to be aware of the condition and take preventive measures,” says Dr Chirag Patel one of the best elbow surgery doctors in Mumbai. In this blog, we help you understand this injury condition and its symptoms and give a few tips that can help you prevent the risk of this injury.

Golfer’s Elbow : Symptoms, Treatment

What is Golfer’s Elbow?

Golfer’s elbow which is also known as medial epicondylitis is an overuse injury that causes pain at the location where the forearm muscle attaches to the bony bump of the inside elbow. This results in pain that radiates into the forearm and the wrist.

Golfer’s Elbow vs Tennis Elbow – Causes & Symptoms

Both Golfer’s elbow and the Tennis elbow are overuse injuries that result from repetitive stress caused by overuse.

The main difference between the two conditions is the location of pain, which is due to the different tendons that get affected in these conditions.

Golfer’s Elbow : Symptoms, Treatment

Tennis elbow is caused due to damage to the outside tendon that is attached to the muscle, which spreads the fingers and stretches the wrist backwards.

A golfer’s elbow is caused due to damage to the inside tendons that attach to the muscles that are responsible for contracting fingers and flexing the wrist.

Unlike tennis elbow, which also involves inflammation, a golfer’s elbow is a degenerative condition, which is caused by wear and tear of the tendon-bone junction of the forearm. As a result, the tennis elbow causes pain outside the forearm & golfer’s elbow causes pain and tenderness inside the elbow.

Numbness or tingling at the fingers, weakness, aching or stiffness is some of the symptoms experienced by people with golfer’s elbow.

Golfer’s Elbow : Symptoms, Treatment

Treatment for Golfer’s Elbow

Golfer’s elbow is a self-limiting condition that usually resolves by itself if given time.

However, it may not heal in a reasonable period, which is why treatment from an orthopaedic doctor is needed. Restricted activity, Ice, Stress, Anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy, pulsed orthoscopic, and occupational therapy are some of the conservative treatment options that are usually recommended by orthopaedic doctors for the treatment of Golfers’ elbows.

Golfer’s Elbow : Symptoms, Treatment

Surprisingly this overuse injury can be prevented by adequately strengthening the forearms and avoiding mistakes that put a lot of stress on the forearm. Here are a few tips:

Strengthen your forearms muscles, fingers and wrists with simple exercises consistently.

Stretch before exercise and avoid unwanted stress by learning the proper form of compound exercises. Use the right equipment for exercise and ensure rest to avoid overuse of the elbow.

Golfer’s Elbow : Symptoms, Treatment

“Any activity that involves repetitive motion of forearm like chopping wood with an axe, throwing or use of mechanical hand tools may also cause this condition”, says orthopaedist and elbow surgery doctor in Mumbai Dr Chirag Patel.

If you are consistently experiencing any of the above symptoms, we advise you to consult an orthopaedic doctor as soon as possible.

If you are in Mumbai, you can contact Dr Chirag Patel.

Dr Chirag Patel Social Media