When there’s no exact incident that flags the onset of medial elbow pain, our eyes turn towards a common culprit: medial epicondylitis. Medial epicondylitis, aka “golfer’s elbow”, manifests as pain or discomfort on the inside of the elbow. Golfer’s elbow can spread pain into your forearm and wrist, particularly when gripping objects. This condition does not discriminate and does not only affect golfers, but anyone who has stress to the forearm muscles through repetitive actions. This is your body’s red flag signaling there is something wrong. This post will look at the mechanics behind golfer’s elbow, the symptoms, what to do if you develop medial epicondylitis, and ways to help prevent it from coming back.
TAKE ME STRAIGHT TO THE EXERCISES!
**This is not medical advice. Please consult your medical provider for more information.
What is Golfer’s Elbow?
The muscles in the anterior forearm are largely in charge of flexing your wrist. The bony prominence on the inside of the elbow, known as the medial epicondyle, is where all of these forearm muscles originate. The common flexor tendon (CFT) is where all of these forearm muscles merge. Golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylitis) occurs when the CFT gets irritated from the anterior forearm muscles getting overworked. This can be from repetitive wrist flexion, gripping, forearm pronation, or all the above!
Understanding golfer’s elbow lays down the foundational knowledge required to navigate through symptoms and further into treatment. It preps us into protecting our arms by reinforcing the importance of prevention through proper technique and treatment through targeted exercises.
Medial epicondylitis is different from lateral epicondylitis. Lateral epicondylitis is commonly referred to as tennis elbow. If you are dealing with pain on the outside of your elbow and in the posterior forearm muscles, check out this blog post here!
Not Just for Golfers: Who’s at Risk?
Golfer’s elbow doesn’t just come from golf. Any repetitive wrist, grip, and hand motions that overuse the anterior forearm muscles without adequate rest will lead to this overuse injury. This can include desk workers, throwing athletes, gymnasts, or gardeners. Continuous pressure and use ultimately leads to strain on the forearm muscles and causes tiny microtears. The body’s response to this is to begin the inflammatory response, which often is the first sign we recognize that something is going on. This includes pain and tenderness over the CFT and/or wrist flexor muscle bellies.
Recognizing the Symptoms of Golfer’s Elbow
Understanding the onset of golfer’s elbow starts with recognizing key symptoms. Initially, you may experience tenderness or sharp pain on the inside of the elbow where the tendons of the forearm muscles attach to the bony bump (known as the CFT). This discomfort can extend into the anterior forearm. You’ll likely notice it intensifies with anything involving making a fist, such as turning a doorknob or lifting objects.
Stiffness in the elbow and weakness of the hand and wrist can occur. Numbness or tingling sensations into the hand or fingers, most notably the ring finger and pinky, may accompany the other symptoms. This can happen if the irritation and stiffness of the muscles entrap one of the nerves running through the forearm.
Here is a breakdown of the common symptoms you should be on the lookout for with golfer’s elbow:
- Elbow pain: on the inside of your elbow, often worsening with specific movements, like gripping
- Forearm pain: tenderness or soreness in the anterior forearm muscles
- Stiffness: sensation of stiffness in the elbow, making it difficult to fully extend your elbow
- Weakness: in the hand and wrist, particularly noticeable when gripping objects
- Numbness or tingling: might radiate into the ring and pinky
Awareness of these symptoms is the first step towards addressing the issue and preventing further injury. Fast action at the onset of symptoms can greatly improve recovery time and reduce the risk of chronic overuse. However, recognizing the risk factors is key to steering clear of medial epicondylitis in the first place.
Treatment Options for Golfer’s Elbow
When dealing with medial epicondylitis, understanding treatment options is important. In the initial stages, conservative measures can offer significant relief. Depending on how serious the pain is, a brief period of rest may be necessary. For most, initiating a treatment plan designed by a physical therapist will be beneficial and get you back on the course in timely fashion.
Anti-inflammatory medication may be helpful in the beginning phase of recovery. This can help manage discomfort when participating in exercises. Medial epicondylitis responds very well to conservative treatment, but more stubborn cases may need a targeted approach. This is where physical therapy comes into play. In the most severe of cases or when physical therapy has not been successful, corticosteroid injections may be considered as an option. Very rarely is surgery needed, but provides another avenue for treatment if your doctor believes it is the best course of action for you.
Exercises For Golfer’s Elbow
When dealing with golfer’s elbow, the path to recovery can sometimes involves more than just rest and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications. Engaging in targeted exercises can be a highly effective strategy for overcoming this injury. It can even prevent its recurrence!
When performing exercises for medial epicondylitis, we want to focus on taking the stress away from the anterior forearm, since the stress to this area is what is causing the pain! We want to work on strengthening the muscles of the shoulder, as these muscles help support the rest of the arm. Stretching the anterior forearm muscles to reduce stiffness and working on slow controlled movements for strengthening will also help protect them moving forward.
If you are dealing with discomfort from golfer’s elbow and unsure of where to start, give these exercises a try!
Wrist Flexor Stretch
With an open palm, extend your wrist backwards while keeping your elbow straight until you feel a stretch in the front of your forearm. Hold this stretch up to 30 seconds and repeat.
Wrist Flexion Eccentrics
You can perform this exercise with a resistance band or a dumbbell. Make sure it is light resistance.
Hold the resistance band in your hand with your elbow and forearm resting on a supportive surface. Make sure your elbow is directly under your shoulder and you are sitting up tall.
Flex your wrist up towards the ceiling. This motion can be performed at regular speed.
The eccentric portion of this exercise emphasizes the return motion back to the starting position. That means that when relaxing your wrist back down, you do this slowly and with control. This should last over a period of 3-5 seconds.
Perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
Bruegger Pulses
Place a resistance band around the back of your hands. Keep your elbows at the side of your body and flexed to 90 degrees. Pull the band apart quickly and return back to the start as if your repetitions are small pulses. You may feel the deltoids and the back of the shoulders burning.
Perform this exercise up to 30 seconds and repeat 3 times.
The True Impact of an Hour a Day
It is important to note that it is not the intensity of an activity, but rather its repetition over time that puts stress on the forearm muscles. Small movements repeated over a length of time will add up. And that is what ultimately leads to golfer’s elbow.
Spending just an hour each day on tasks involving repetitive wrist or finger flexion can lead to the development of medial epicondylitis symptoms. This includes golfers practicing their swing, to professionals typing away at keywords, to musicians fine-tuning their instruments.
Persistent movements can create microtears within the muscle belly and tendons. Without sufficient rest, the muscle fibers don’t get a chance to recover and heal. Over time, the damage accumulates, leading to an inflammatory cycle that continues on repeat.
Recognizing that frequency and duration of activity matters is important. That is why having regular breaks and incorporating preventative strategies into daily life is also important. In doing so, this can help reduce the chance of experiencing golfer’s elbow and being able to maintain your health, active lifestyle without unnecessary discomfort.
Preventive Measures and Techniques
When immersing yourself in activities that require repetitive stress on the forearm, understanding how to prevent golfer’s elbow is paramount. As discussed earlier, repetition over time is what will contribute to medial epicondylitis. So what can we do to help prevent this in the first place? And if we have experienced this before, what can we do to keep it from coming back?
Here is a list of preventative measures to consider to help with managing pain and helping prevent it from coming back:
- Adopt Correct Techniques: Master the proper ways to swing a club and to perform other repetitive hand and wrist action.
- Strengthen Muscles: Build strength in specific muscle groups; this involves strengthening both proximally (the shoulder) and distally (wrists/forearms).
- Warm Up Effectively: Take time for thorough warm-ups before intensive use of the arms to improve circulation and flexibility. Hint: scroll up to check out exercises you can implement into your warm-up!
- Engage in Regular Stretching: Integrate stretches that enhance range of motion in the wrists and blows into your route. And don’t forget about your thoracic spine!
- Incorporate Frequent Breaks: Allocate time for rest periods during long session of repetitive motion to avoid overexertion.
- Wear Supportive Gear: Consider using straps, braces, or supportive wraps to reduce stress on the affected CFT. Remember that this is not for long term use!
- Limit Repetitive Tasks: Be conscious of the duration and frequency of repetitive tasks, adjusting as necessary to reduce strain.
When to Seek Professional Help
Experiencing stubborn pain on the inside of the elbow that is not improving with adequate rest could signal it’s time to seek professional help for potential golfer’s elbow. The best treatment for golfer’s elbow is physical therapy. A physical therapist will review which exercises will be best to perform and tailored to what you need as an individual and how you are presenting.
You should seek a medical provider if there is:
- Consistent pain: Persistent medial elbow/forearm pain, particularly if it remains intense after several days of rest
- Worsening symptoms: If symptoms like stiffness, weakness, or numbness increase
- Limited function: Struggling with performing daily tasks
- Visible changes: Redness, warmth, or noticeable swelling around the elbow joint
Diligence in addressing these symptoms enhances the probability of effective recovery and helps prevent further injury.
Other Helpful Articles for Golfer’s Elbow
- 5 Important Shoulder Rehab Exercises for Optimal Function
- Thoracic Mobility Exercises: Unlock Your Body for Pain Relief
- 5 Best Shoulder Strengthening Exercises for Healthy Movement and Stability
- How to Fix Rounded Shoulders
- Shoulder Strength and Stability: A Beginner’s Guide
- Prevention and Care of Tennis Elbow: What You Need to Know
Ensuring A Smooth Recovery
As you navigate your journey through recovery from medial epicondylitis, remember the importance of patience and consistency with proper care. Recovery is not just about treating the symptoms, but also about embracing a holistic approach that includes regular and consistent exercise. Preventative measures can also go a long way, including adjusting your grip or technique to reduce stress on your arm. With dedication to these practices, full recovery is a possible outcome.
TL;DR
Golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylitis) causes pain and inflammation in the muscles and tendons that connect the forearm to the elbow. Learn about the symptoms so you know what to look for. Your best course of action is injury prevention techniques to reduce the risk of developing golfer’s elbow. However, if you do, physical therapy is your best option.
