Golfers elbow

[the bishop]

Having now had both tennis elbow and golfer's elbow I'd say golfer's is the worst.  This came on quite suddenly but for anyone here who has had it I'd ask - what treatment (besides not hitting balls) do you feel helped it heal thee most?  Ice, compression...?  I'll do them all of course but did you find that when you did one particular thing you found the most benefit?  I have an electrostim machine at home I can use but am off visiting my daughter at college this weekend so will have to wait to try that.

 

In the meantime I'll get an elbow band and see if I can work on my short game and putting without making it worse.  Appreciate any/all responses.

 

Additionally what was your total recovery time?

Edited September 26, 2022 by the bishop

[Socrates]

Golfer's elbow is really a difficult thing to get rid of.  I found the only thing that really helped was a cortisone shot.  I kind of screwed up the first 2 shots due to unavoidable over use (I do a lot of snowblowing during the winter and this past winter was bad).  The 3rd shot was this April and I have religiously worn a tennis/golfer's elbow strap and limited the number of high speed swings (drivers) on the range.  So far so good and I hope to be able to avoid a 4th shot and/or potential nerve relocation surgery.

[bekgolf]

Steroid injection was instant relief for me but it was temporary.  Switching to graphite in my irons has helped, so have specific exercises.  An internet search for "golfers elbow pt" will bring up some ideas.

 

If I keep up on the exercises it's better and if I don't it comes back although not as bad as when I was hitting steel shafted irons.  I have an annual exam coming up and I'll probably request another injection. 

 

I'm at less than 50% of the pain level I was prior to the first and only injection in April.  

[the bishop]

Thanks for the responses @Socrates @bekgolf.  I had a pretty bad case of tennis elbow in my left arm about 10yrs go and took a good 6 mo to fully clear up.  So we'll see how long this one takes.

[i*windows]

had golfers elbow for years, always thought rest was best. listened to this Dr. Keith Baar - Golfers and Tennis Elbow Rehab - Fit For Golf : Fit For Golf

and it changed by rehab completely, after years and years of pain I now have zero.

[guty17]

Shock wave therapy helped me completely in just few weeks. And some relief is instant. Then it is a need to target root of the problem, which often is weak shoulder muscles. Because of that forearms take shoulders load of work and get inflamed. Hope this helps. 

[tthomasgolfer605]

Another Rob Roy should clear that right up.

[T_Golf_23]

Spending too much time on WRX using your mobile device. Causes serious inflammation. 

[Fuscinator]

One of the great things about having 8000 golf swings is there's always a workaround.

[jobin]

Keep away from the practice range for one month. Obviously the problem is self-inflicted by hitting golf balls.

 

Perhaps not in your case, can't tell, but i've read that excessive wanking will weaken the elbows, if poor technique employed.  So do take care.

[Feelingofgreatness]

Rest and ice it daily for as long as it takes.  Stop golfing if possible or at least hitting balls. If you are going to golf, use a golfer's elbow band.

 

Switch immediately to graphite shafts.

 

Search YouTube for Golfer's elbow strength excercises, there are a few good videos. Only do these once you are healed from the rest and ice. 

 

I had it really bad 3 years ago... I couldn't even open and close my hand/fingers.

[bekgolf]

3 hours ago, tthomasgolfer605 said:

Another Rob Roy should clear that right up.

Looked it up, had the ingredients, made one and drank it.

 

My elbow feels much better! 

[AZ_JHWK]

Got mine from repetitive motion at work that started in the fall. When spring came around, I picked up a club and there was immediate pain shooting down my left arm. Used the forearm band that puts pressure on the offended tendon. I wore it at work and playing golf and around the house. It took 6-8 months, but it eventually went away. The key was that I changed that repetitive motion that caused it in the first place. Mine was more of a squeezing motion with the left hand, not from a computer mouse or keyboarding. 

[dffjunior]

I had a nasty care a few years ago, it lasted 2+ seasons. I wore a Mueller brace while playing:

https://smile.amazon.com/Mueller-Tennis-Elbow-Support-Black/dp/B0027VOS8U/ref=sr_1_8?crid=1HFT8E0WNO9MT&keywords=mueller+elbow+brace&qid=1664073882&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI0LjQ3IiwicXNhIjoiNC4xOCIsInFzcCI6IjQuMTIifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=mueller+elbow+brace%2Caps%2C157&sr=8-8

 

Don't but the cheapo brands, get the Mueller.  If you can't do Amazon go to Walgreens/CVS and get them.

 

I also use a PT device that was recommended and it did wonders strengthening me up and I haven't had a problem since.

https://smile.amazon.com/TheraBand-Tendonitis-Strength-Resistance-Tendinitis/dp/B00067E4YU/ref=sr_1_10?crid=6HQTHQIYADQG&keywords=tennis+elbow&qid=1664073545&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI2LjA0IiwicXNhIjoiNS4xNyIsInFzcCI6IjQuOTEifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=tennis+elbo%2Caps%2C393&sr=8-10

 

 

[tthomasgolfer605]

42 minutes ago, bekgolf said:

Looked it up, had the ingredients, made one and drank it.

 

My elbow feels much better! 

As it should. Cheers!

[tthomasgolfer605]

2 hours ago, jobin said:

Keep away from the practice range for one month. Obviously the problem is self-inflicted by hitting golf balls.

 

Perhaps not in your case, can't tell, but i've read that excessive wanking will weaken the elbows, if poor technique employed.  So do take care.

I'm glad you went there first because I was about to.

[golferdude54]

If you’re locking your front elbow at address and throughout the swing, just stop doing that. It’s not supposed to be locked. Using one of those Izzo Smooth Swing/Callaway SwingEasy straps around your elbows will stop you from locking your front elbow and also keep it straight and relaxed. Mickey Wright used it all the time in her playing career, didn’t seem to hurt her, did it?

[jordan2240]

13 hours ago, Fuscinator said:

One of the great things about having 8000 golf swings is there's always a workaround.

Man, I only have like 127 different swings.  I better get to work.

[Zitlow]

Tension in the arms = golfer's elbow. The body swings the arms not the other way around. 

[Rapidcat]

14 hours ago, golferdude54 said:

If you’re locking your front elbow at address and throughout the swing, just stop doing that. It’s not supposed to be locked. Using one of those Izzo Smooth Swing/Callaway SwingEasy straps around your elbows will stop you from locking your front elbow and also keep it straight and relaxed. Mickey Wright used it all the time in her playing career, didn’t seem to hurt her, did it?

She died though.

[golferdude54]

1 hour ago, Rapidcat said:

She died though.

You got me there!

[jtmagic]

I have been battling golfers elbow (both arms) for the better part of a year. Having tried almost everything people have shared on this forum and various other recommendations, the two things that have helped the most are (1) moving to graphite shafts throughout the set (previously only driver/fairway/hybrid had graphite) and (2) changing my grip (went from interlock to overlap).   Graphite is a very common suggestion. The grip change suggestions came after trying many other remedies and had an almost immediate impact. 
 

Therabands/bars, stretching, massage, ultrasound, forearm strap, compression sleeves, ice all helped some but the two above seemed most significant and lasting. It is gone completely from one arm and mostly so in the other.  Both are no longer tender when massaging.  Played 90 holes in 5 days on a trip six weeks ago and felt little discomfort. 
 

Good luck dealing with this as it is very frustrating to have an injury like this. 

[the bishop]

5 hours ago, jtmagic said:

 

I have been battling golfers elbow (both arms) for the better part of a year. Having tried almost everything people have shared on this forum and various other recommendations, the two things that have helped the most are (1) moving to graphite shafts throughout the set (previously only driver/fairway/hybrid had graphite) and (2) changing my grip (went from interlock to overlap).   Graphite is a very common suggestion. The grip change suggestions came after trying many other remedies and had an almost immediate impact. 
 

Therabands/bars, stretching, massage, ultrasound, forearm strap, compression sleeves, ice all helped some but the two above seemed most significant and lasting. It is gone completely from one arm and mostly so in the other.  Both are no longer tender when massaging.  Played 90 holes in 5 days on a trip six weeks ago and felt little discomfort. 
 

Good luck dealing with this as it is very frustrating to have an injury like this. 

Thanks.  For me this is simply an overuse injury and I feel a fairly minor case.  It just surprised me as it came on very quickly and although I feel it's minor was quite uncomfortable nonetheless.  I'll just taper off the amount I've been practicing, use the compresssion band, ice it and take some naprosyn.  

[rgk5]

Here os what mine looked like, the result of a driver swing, a good one.  Strangely there was never any serious pain.

 

[tm3]

My best advice is don't take medical advice from random people on the www.  Not criticizing anyone offering help at all, but IMO you want to get this right the first time.

 

Friend of mine who is an MD suffered from both golfer's and tennis elbow.  He said that steroid injections are controversial, some in the medical literature arguing that they do more harm than good.  He eventually had surgery bilaterally.  That was a couple years ago and he ended up giving up golf as he has never completely recovered.

 

Battle shields up, here is my advice: Get direction from a good physical therapist, which is probably going to be a combination of rest, ice and/or heat, and gradual strengthening.