I’m at a cross roads

[Saltydawg15]

I have been dealing with golfers elbow for most of the year which has made hitting balls impossible, at first I thought it would go away on its own but it didn’t so I tried physical therapy and that did nothing then recently I tried acupuncture which has actually helped  as I stopped playing for almost 3 weeks. Yesterday I went out and played and feel I’m back to square one.

 

I went from playing 2-3 times a week and practicing about the same to playing 1 maybe 2 times a week. My question is, has anyone been able to get better while playing or do I need to shut it down for a few months?

 

My biggest issues besides wanting to play is I have a trip to streamsong in two weeks and then to Bandon in August so I am trying to limp into those two trips and then shut it down.

 

has any use platelet rich plasma treatment?

[jj9000]

Two things.

 

1.  Strengthen your forearms by getting something like a green Flexbar for ~$20

2. Buy an iron set with either SteelFiber or UST Recoil shafts.

 

Otherwise, you're going to keep kicking the pain can down the road, and eventually you'll either do #1 and/or #2...or you'll quit altogether.

 

[UKGolfer86]

I got through this whilst playing. 

 

1. DO NOT PRACTICE ON RANGE MATS.  This is the most important advice I can give as it is what caused my problems.  Woods are fine, but irons and wedges are what caused my issues.

 

2.  Stretch your forearms/tendons by pulling your fingers back towards your wrist before and after any playing.  Ice your elbow as soon as you can after playing.

 

3. As above, strengthen using Therabands and a therabar.  

 

4.  I had shockwave therapy which accelerated my recovery for sure.

 

I have heard that graphite shafts can help, but I play KBS Tour stiffs and have no issues since I recovered.  Once I'd shaken it, I really got into strength training and I've seen no reoccurrence at all.  Took about 8 months to completely see the back of it, but still played at least once a week.

[BigEx44]

2 hours ago, Saltydawg15 said:

I have been dealing with golfers elbow for most of the year which has made hitting balls impossible, at first I thought it would go away on its own but it didn’t so I tried physical therapy and that did nothing then recently I tried acupuncture which has actually helped  as I stopped playing for almost 3 weeks. Yesterday I went out and played and feel I’m back to square one.

 

I went from playing 2-3 times a week and practicing about the same to playing 1 maybe 2 times a week. My question is, has anyone been able to get better while playing or do I need to shut it down for a few months?

 

My biggest issues besides wanting to play is I have a trip to streamsong in two weeks and then to Bandon in August so I am trying to limp into those two trips and then shut it down.

 

has any use platelet rich plasma treatment?

 

I played an entire golf season with it.  Doing exercises and wearing sleeves to keep it reasonable.  I'm in the Northeast, so the rest from the following winter then solved most of my issues.

[Simpsonia]

It sounds like you either might not have given physical therapy enough time, or had unrealistic expectations (or both). I dealt with my golfer's elbow for about 14 months (and played through it most of that time), regularly doing PT and religiously doing the Flexbar and other PT exercises at home every day. It helped, but it wasn't a miracle cure-all. Nothing is for medial epicondylitis injuries. There's basically no blood flow to that tendon so healing is incredibly slow, and it's different for every person. Some people it's a matter of months, some it's a year or more. You just need to keep up with your exercises, and don't push yourself if you start feeling that twinge. 

[trilerian]

Took about a year to get rid of my on the outside of my lead arm. I kept playing all the time, so that didn’t help. I massaged my forearm all the time, like dig my fingers into the muscles and made it hurt massaging.  Eventually it went away. 
 

I used to get tennis elbow playing tennis as well. String dampeners stopped that from occurring, so maybe vibrations has something to do with it.

[RSinSG]

Some will disagree with me, and I am aware of the potential side effects but for me cortisone injections were like a miracle cure. I got tendinitis in both elbows and had PT and also was talked into acupuncture- neither of which were very successful. A physician friend suggested injections and I was hesitant as I assumed they were destructive. He assured me I’d be OK as long as I didn’t overuse it so I let him poke me.

 

I went from miserable pain to no symptoms. The treatment lasted over 10 years when I had another set of injections. 

 

That was over 30 years ago and while they may not be for everyone they worked for me.  It’s certainly worth considering if less intrusive measures are ineffective.

[llewol007]

I have experienced the injury you speak of. It occurred when I switched to a set that was too heavy in weight and was to stiff of a flex. Lesson learned, I switched to Steelfiber shafts which have the same dampening as graphite shafts and to say that the injury has been reduced is on point. Also, I have taken the time to play stiff shafts in my irons versus trying to swing x flex shafts and that has helped as well. Longevity is key to enjoying this game so take every precaution now while you can before your body makes that decision for you. 

[Saltydawg15]

Thanks, I may try cortisone but think I will try the platelet rich therapy first. In my reading it looks like that has been more effective than cortisone.

 

the worst part is I’m retired and can’t play as much as I like and can’t practice at all.

[skraly]

This-https://www.amazon.com/TheraBand-Resistance-Improving-Strength-Tendonitis/dp/B07X96TW5H- there are youtube videos on how to use it for elbow tendonitis.

 

and this-https://www.amazon.com/TheraBand-Resistance-Improving-Strength-Tendonitis/dp/B07X96TW5—the best tendonitis support band I have tried.

 

Also anti-inflamatories, if have no contra-indications.  
ice the affected elbow after golfing.

 

others have already mentioned graphite iron shafts and avoiding hitting off of mats.

 

if these things don’t work then a visit to an ortho doc and professional rehab is probably heeded. 

 

[UKGolfer86]

So i commented on this less than a week ago and in CAPS stated do not practice on range mats.... Had a lesson Monday which is off a mat, not ideal but 1 lesson has never caused much of an issue.  We worked on a slight bowing of the wrist in the aim to get me away from a cupped wrist.  I felt like i needed to practice this a far bit and ended up hitting 100 balls at the range... from mats on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.  Lo and behold, i wake up yesterday with pins and needles in my left forearm and trigger finger in my pinky.  DAMN YOU RANGE MATS!   Its what caused my right arm to do exactly the same a couple of years back.  So back to the Thera Flex bar, bands and NSAIDs.  Lukclily its not all that painful, but the trigger finger is unpleasant in the mornings and does ease off with 5-10 mins of stretching.

 

Range mats are the devil.  Unfortunately i have a choice of 2 ranges within 5 mins of my house, both off mats.  Or driving to the club 30 mins away and using the practice ground where you ahve to take your own balls and obviously collect them up after hitting them... so when trying to make a change like i am there is always going to be one winner and that isnt my elbow.

[anth]

I posted about this recently. Turns out I don’t actually have Tennis elbow, because I’ve had that before and it lasted over a year.

 

What I have I think is related to the osteoarthritis issues I have in my spine. I’m managing that through strength training and I’m doing OK. My joints get sore by the end of a round but I’m OK with one round and one range session a week. Any more than that and maybe I would struggle.

 

Now, when I was looking at remedies for my elbow the Osteo I was seeing highly recommended Dolorclast Radial Shockwave Therapy (DRSWT).  He said they had a lot of success treating Tennis and Golfers elbow. He did also caution that the treatment could be painful.

 

I never went through with it because I have something else. But I would look at this as an option if it was Golfers or Tennis Elbow.  2 or 3 painful sessions might be better than 12 months of ongoing issues?

[UKGolfer86]

10 minutes ago, anth said:

I posted about this recently. Turns out I don’t actually have Tennis elbow, because I’ve had that before and it lasted over a year.

 

What I have I think is related to the osteoarthritis issues I have in my spine. I’m managing that through strength training and I’m doing OK. My joints get sore by the end of a round but I’m OK with one round and one range session a week. Any more than that and maybe I would struggle.

 

Now, when I was looking at remedies for my elbow the Osteo I was seeing highly recommended Dolorclast Radial Shockwave Therapy (DRSWT).  He said they had a lot of success treating Tennis and Golfers elbow. He did also caution that the treatment could be painful.

 

I never went through with it because I have something else. But I would look at this as an option if it was Golfers or Tennis Elbow.  2 or 3 painful sessions might be better than 12 months of ongoing issues?

I can vouch for shockwave therapy being painful! When i first had golfers elbow/trigger finger, in my right arm, progress was slow with just physio.  The physio then tried me on shockwave therapy and it really did clear up quickly.  I had 1 session a week for a while, maybe 4-6 weeks, i cant remember, alongside strength training and stretching that i was already doing.  It soon cleared up.  Damn is it painful on certain spots though.

 

Id be back in for more right now, but with covid they are trying to limit as much in person physio as possible through our NHS so ive got to wait.

[Lincoln_Arcadia]

On 5/8/2021 at 3:30 AM, Saltydawg15 said:

I have been dealing with golfers elbow for most of the year which has made hitting balls impossible, at first I thought it would go away on its own but it didn’t so I tried physical therapy and that did nothing then recently I tried acupuncture which has actually helped  as I stopped playing for almost 3 weeks. Yesterday I went out and played and feel I’m back to square one.

 

I went from playing 2-3 times a week and practicing about the same to playing 1 maybe 2 times a week. My question is, has anyone been able to get better while playing or do I need to shut it down for a few months?

 

My biggest issues besides wanting to play is I have a trip to streamsong in two weeks and then to Bandon in August so I am trying to limp into those two trips and then shut it down.

 

has any use platelet rich plasma treatment?

 

5 days a week is possibly just too much?

[KMeloney]

My experience:

 

-There's no "working through" the pain/injury. I thought I could "strengthen" the area by continuing to do the curls and weightlifting I was doing (while also playing golf). All that did was make things worse. I think that the Theraband exercises are helpful -- but I'd argue that they're intended to stretch and make/keep pliable/strengthen the area through controlled resistance. Weight training to "strengthen" the area is NOT going to help at all (and will likely just make things much worse).

 

-Cortisone shot may or may not have helped. I certainly didn't experience the instant relief that some people get from cortisone shots. But, I also can't say that it didn't help. I was just expecting instantaneous comfort/relief, and I definitely didn't get that.

 

-I did 4-6 weeks of PT after the cortisone shot. I have to believe that that DID help. However (always a caveat, right?), I also didn't play golf during that time. Thankfully, it was winter time, and so that helped me not be tempted to play. So, between the PT and no activities that stressed the area, my elbow got much, much better.

 

- I switched to SteelFiber shafts in all of my irons (including my wedges). This has definitely staved off additional GE injuries. Graphite shafts tech is so good now that you can replicate any flex/weight/torque you want with it, so I'm sure you could find a "steel-like" graphite shaft that fits you perfectly. Yes, the graphite apparently dampens vibrations [that you don't realize you're getting through steel shafts] which otherwise contribute to GE/TE problems. I'd definitely recommend going to graphite and not looking back.

 

- A buddy had the plasma therapy done. His findings were that it hurt like hell and did absolutely nothing for him. He went on to get surgery on his elbow (which DID alleviate his pain). Now, could his condition have been worse than mine? Maybe. We'll never know. But we'll also never know whether I, too, was on the road to surgery if I hadn't sorted out my issues first. 

 

[GLF4EVR]

Lots of good suggestions already listed.  As many have pointed out, there is no quick fix with this.  Tendonitis only heals thru time.  Just try not to do much to aggravate it more.  I have not had to deal with it for 4-5 years at least.  When I did suffer thru it, I would use the neoprene elbow sleeves with the tennis elbow strap.  Also, using deep massage on the area...trying to work out some of the inflammation in the muscle/tendon sheath.  Using some heat rub while doing this would be effective also.  Plus, use a small amount of heat rub before slipping the neoprene sleeve on would really help.  Stress the phrase "small amount".  Too much will likely cause skin irritation.  The WalMart equate brand of heat rub is my recommendation.  Use of an over the counter anti-inflammatory might help with some relief.

[brutus27]

Had it, stretching and strengthening forearm, wrist and hand muscles/tendons/ligaments! YouTube is your friend.

Edited May 16, 2021 by brutus27

[JetPilot]

Buy a Band-It brace.  It’s like magic.  Struggled with elbow tendinitis for years.  Wearing this made golf pain free.  As soon as I took it off I couldn’t lift a piece of paper.

 

But it allowed me to play pain free golf while waiting a year for the tendinitis to subside.

[Saltydawg15]

Thanks lots of good information.
 

I am heading to streamsong this week and then coming back to relax and try and heal this injury. I may try the shockwave therapy. I can’t really totally shut it down until I get back from Bandon in august. 

[blues72]

I have been fighting this all season.  About 6 weeks ago I started taking a high quality cbd oil and also using a cbd sports cream.  It’s slowly getting better, but definitely not 100%.  However, it is markedly improved from before I started using these products. Good luck. 

[KMeloney]

On 5/16/2021 at 5:26 PM, JetPilot said:

Buy a Band-It brace.  It’s like magic.  Struggled with elbow tendinitis for years.  Wearing this made golf pain free.  As soon as I took it off I couldn’t lift a piece of paper.

 

But it allowed me to play pain free golf while waiting a year for the tendinitis to subside.

 

I should have said that I wore one of these when I played, too. It helps with the pain. I'd recommend the OP get one of these for the upcoming trip.