Golfers Elbow or medial epicondylosis is very similar to the much more common tennis elbow but occurs on the inside (medial) rather than the outside of the elbow. Golfers elbow is equally common in men and women, most commonly between the ages of 35 and 45.
The wrist flexor muscles on the underside of the forearm, have a common tendon attachment on the inside of the elbow. Injury to the tendon, while common in golf, can occur with any activity involving large amounts of wrist flexion or gripping. Degradation of the tendon tissue occurs over time because of repetitive lower grade forces but can occur with larger traumatic force.
Symptoms include:
- Pain and tenderness over the inside of the elbow often radiating down into the forearm.
- Pain with repetitive wrist flexion and gripping activities.
- Pain with lifting or bending the arm.
- Difficulty with achieving full elbow range of movement.
- Can involve pain or tingling into the 4th and 5th fingers.
Management varies depending on the causes and contributing factors to the development of the condition. Typically load management is a cornerstone of rehab and aims to reduce the loads to the tendon to levels which it can cope with. This may vary from complete rest from or simply reduction of certain provocative activities. An assessment of upper limb strength and mechanics will be undertaken to identify any potential biomechanical issues which may be placing addition load on the elbow, and corrective exercise to restore these deficits will be provided.
Manual therapy to restore normal joint, neural and tissue mechanics can be helpful in reducing symptoms. As an adjunct to treatment, use of ice, anti-inflammatory medications and provision of a compression strap to reduce strain on the injured tissue may add additional relief and improve function. You will be provided with a graduated strengthening program to build capacity in the tendon and surround muscles to restore function and assist in returning to full activity.
It is important to recognise that depending on the degree of injury, recovery of a golfer’s elbow is often not fast and building strength in the tissue and restoring function is quite a gradual process.
Don’t let elbow pain hold you back! Book an appointment today with one of our experienced physios for a plan to build strength in your arms and get you back pain free and doing the things that you love!
