What is “Golfer’s Elbow”? #Health #Seattle
Hitting the links on a beautiful day can be a relaxing and enjoyable experience. However, many people experience what is called media epicondylitis or Golfer’s Elbow when playing a round. Symptoms include tenderness and occasional sharp pains on the inside of the elbow, caused by inflammation or tiny tears in tendons near the elbow. The pain centers on the bony bump on the inside of the elbow and may radiate into the forearm.
Many professional players, including Tiger Woods, have battled golfer’s elbow severe enough to warrant withdrawal from major tournaments in the past.. Woods first experienced issues with his elbow at the U.S. Open in 2013 when he was hitting out of the rough, a stroke that is typically achieved with more force than others. That pain, along with tenderness, swelling and weakness on the inside of the elbow indicates a probable golfer’s elbow.
This condition is usually triggered by overuse of the muscles in the forearm that allow you to grip, rotate your arm, and flex your wrist. Repetitive flexing, gripping, or swinging (something that is of course very common in the game of golf) can cause inflammation or tiny tears in the tendons. A similar condition, tennis elbow, is much more common and affects the lateral epicondyle, though the pain profiles of each of these are very similar.
When it comes to seeking treatment there is no benefit to early medical intervention. Playing through any discomfort is usually fine if the pain is tolerable and rest does not typically help elbow tendinitis. Golfers should know, however, that it is not uncommon for low-grade symptoms to persist for many months before the condition resolves.
If you find that these symptoms are persisting for an extended period of time, it’s recommended that you visit your physician as there may be something that can be addressed medically happening.