Golfer's elbow is a common condition among people. It is a condition where the muscles in the forearm attach themselves to the bony part of the elbow resulting in a lot of pain. Unlike tennis elbow, the golfer's elbow results in internal pain.
It goes by the name medial epicondylitis among biologists. The golfers were the most affected victims of the condition, hence, its name golfer's elbow. Such was because of the overstraining of their arms while playing golf. It made them experience a lot of forearm pain, which was common almost among most of them.
Many people assume that this condition is for golfers only. Well, this is not true. Everybody can get this condition. As they put their wrists to use most of the time, they are at risk of the attack. If there are any worries about this condition, then here is the perfect solution.
Causes of Golfer's Elbow
Golf elbow tends to result from wrist involvement in sports. Golfer's elbow is not only limited to sporting activities however.
- Racket using sports - when players do not apply the right skills when playing such games, they feel the effect of the golfer's elbow. Holding rackets in the wrong way every time would result in injuries to their tendons.
- Games involving throwing - twisting a player's hand the wrong way can result in arm pains. The familiar games include softball and baseball. Goalkeepers in football can also be at risk, as well as javelin throw athletes.
- Weight lifting - golfer's elbow may occur when weightlifters twist their wrists while training. Curling of their elbow while exerting pressure on it will lead to suffering from golfer's elbow.
- Strenuous movements - this happens to people that carry out repetitive complex tasks.
Physiological causes of golfer's elbow include weak shoulder muscles and wrists.
Symptoms of Golfer's Elbow
Golfer's elbow affects the forearms tendons. Therefore, this will result in a lot of pain surrounding the forearm. Some of the symptoms of this condition include.
- Internal forearm pain - Extreme forearm pain results from tendon attachment to the hump of the elbow. The pain sometimes may spread to the entire upper side of the forearm. It will worsen at some moments when the injured person tries to twist their arm.
- Elbow stiffness - The elbow will be stiff, and there will be much pain when trying to make a fist.
- General weakness in the hand - The injured hand may generally feel weak to carry out normal functions. Injured people may feel pain when they try lifting even light objects. The pain will be adverse at the wrists.
- Numbness in hand - Injured fingers, with time, may start feeling numb. They may also feel stimulating effects when they try feeling them. The condition worsens with time if not treated early enough.
Treating Golfers Elbow
It turns out the condition is elementary to treat, and it does not need much of the doctor's attention in a lot of cases. It’s good to consult with a doctor, but in most cases, you’ll start with these and then move on if they don’t work.
- Apply ice - Ice is an excellent sedative when it comes to muscle pains. When applied to the painful parts of the arm, it will help calm the pain.
- Take enough rest from sporting activities - falling to rest will only worsen it. Hence, it is advisable to take enough rest until they feel better.
- Use of painkillers - Common painkillers help counteract the effect. When the pain is extreme, the doctor might help the patients with prescription options.
- Physiotherapy - This is the best way to get rid of the golfer's elbow. It will help the patients strengthen the inflated tendons and help them relieve the pain in no time.
- Regular arm exercises - the victims might also consider carrying out activities. They include finger extensions and ball squeezing.
People do not need to be frustrated with this minor condition. It is easy to prevent as well as to treat. They should rationalize sporting activities to avoid it. Also, they should not engage in strenuous repetitive work and make sure to take enough rest.