What Is Golfer’s Elbow?
Golfer’s Elbow doesn’t seem to be as common (or as well-known) as Tennis Elbow, but we think that the two conditions should be grouped together, because they are very similar. Sometimes the condition is also called Baseball Elbow!
They are both forms of Elbow Tendinitis, but the difference is:
- Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis) stems from damage to tendons on the outside of the elbow
- Golfer’s Elbow (Medial Epicondylitis) is caused by tendons on the inside of the elbow
Like a lot of over-use injuries, they can manifest differently in different people. You’ve got to be on the look out for that chronic pain or ache, particularly after you engage in sport or work.
Luckily there are lots of ways to deal with it, once you’ve had a diagnosis from a trained medical professional – please see below!
Symptoms Of Golfer’s Elbow
- If you clench your fist (or shake someone’s hand) you can feel pain on the inside of your elbow
- Weaker Wrist and Grip Strength
- Stiff Elbow Joint
- Difficulty moving the elbow, and performing actions involving the hand that contract the muscles in this part of your arm
- Bending your wrist towards your forearm can cause pain
- Tingling along your arm, sometimes all the way to your little finger
Any activity where you are continually bending the wrist, twisting the arm, bending the elbow under strain will all put increased pressure on the tendons, and has the potential to cause this pain in your arm.
Golfer’s Elbow Causes
It’s essentially a repetitive strain injury, so over-working the tendon is what causes it. Tiny tears and inflammation in the tendon occurs, and this is what causes the pain.
Lifestyle factors are obviously at play – especially if you work in a job that involves a lot of physical use of the hand/wrist/arm – such as Healthcare Professionals (eg. Nurses), or Construction Workers (Most of the “Trades”).
As the name suggests, it’s also a kind of sports injury – being particularly prevalent in:
- Weight Training
- Baseball
- Golf
- Tennis (Racket Sports In General)
- Rowing (In a Boat or in the Gym)
Golfer’s Elbow Diagnosis & Treatment
You will definitely need to consult a medical professional to get a diagnosis. They might be able to diagnose the condition then and there, but if there is any doubt – it is usually possible to get a more accurate read from an X-ray (or MRI).
Typically a treatment will consist of work from your Physiotherapist. Alongside that you can supplement this treatment with your own home exercises – for which we provide the most important tools within our tailored Golfer’s Elbow Pain Kit.
