Stay on the Green, Chiropractic Care for Golfer’s Elbow
By: Dr. Tiffany T. Butler | February 2, 2023 | Read Time: 7 minutes
“The greatest thing about tomorrow is I will be better than I am today.” Tiger Woods
Have you ever been diagnosed with golfer’s elbow? How can you have golf elbow if you don’t play golf? In this article, I will take a deeper look into golfer’s elbow or medial epicondylitis.
The elbow is described as a hinge joint, like the knee; however, unlike the knee, the elbow can move in 4 directions – flexion, extension, supine, and pronation. Movement of the elbow joint is a result of the muscles that are located in the upper arm region (e.g. the triceps and biceps); as well as muscles located in the forearm region (e.g. the wrist flexors, wrist extensors, pronators, and supinators). The elbow is considered a non-weight-bearing joint and is commonplace for overuse-type of injuries. A common overuse type of injury that is commonly seen is tendinitis or bursitis.
Golfer’s elbow or medial epicondylitis is inflammation of tendons (a tendon attaches the muscle to bone) that insert on the medial epicondyle (a small bump on the outside) of the humerus bone. Golfer’s elbow is often seen in people who play golf because of the mechanics that are required to hit a golf ball. The golfer’s elbow is usually present on the dominant side.
What Causes Golfer’s Elbow?
The main cause of golfer’s elbow is muscle strain due to excessive use of the elbow. Like most sports, practice is as just as important as game time. As a result, amateur golf players may spend up to 4 hours a day practicing; whereas, professional golf players may spend more than 8 hours a day practicing. With very little time in-between practice and game day, the muscles do not get enough time to rest and recover from the practice time; therefore, placing the golfer at higher risk for soft-tissue injuries such as muscle strain.
You don’t have to be a golfer to experience a golfer’s elbow. Medial epicondylitis is a common injury that is seen in sports and in people who use their hands to perform repetitive movements. Therefore, carpenters, plumbers, clerks, warehouse and construction workers are at risk for medial epicondylitis.
How You Can Prevent Golfer’s Elbow?
Golfer’s elbow can be prevented by incorporating the following activities:
- Allowing adequate rest time between practice and game day;
- Strengthening and conditioning of the forearm and arm muscles (e.g. wrist flexors, wrist extensors; triceps, and biceps)
- Stretching to improve job flexibility
- Warm up before swinging;
- Ice, rest, and compress the elbow if experiencing pain after practice and/or game
Chiropractic Care for Golfer’s Elbow
Chiropractors work with athletes from all types of sports, including golf. The chiropractor can assist the golfer with recovery from golf-related injuries; as well as teach golfers how to golf-related injuries.
Reducing golf-related injuries is conducted through education, exercise, and rehab programs specifically for the sport of golf (e.g. golfers); and ways to improve the biomechanics of the elbow, spine, and other joints.
Chiropractic care can be a valuable solution for golfer’s elbow and other golf-related injuries such as low back pain and shoulder pain while playing golf.
Risk of Not Receiving Treatment for Golfer’s Elbow
If you love playing the game of golf, then not being able to play may not only decrease your performance in the future; it can also put a damper on the enjoyment of the game. Not receiving treatment for golfer’s elbow can result in one or more of the following:
- Decrease in golf performance (e.g. decrease in athletic performance)
- Decrease in range of motion (limited range of motion)
- Decrease in functional use of the affected elbow
- Muscle weakness
- Grip weakness or hand weakness
Whether you are an amateur golfer, a veteran golfer, or a professional golfer, consider making chiropractors a part of your athletic team.
Dr. Tiffany T. Butler (aka “The Pain Doctor”) is a chiropractor, author, and entrepreneur. She leads Harmonious Living Chiropractic: Fitness & Wellness Center, a pain management practice, in offering healthcare solutions that focus on patient-centered care. Her team consists of individuals who are passionate about improving patient outcomes by providing chiropractic care, in conjunction with therapeutic procedures. Their services have helped hundreds of people find pain relief and improved their quality of life. To learn more about Dr. Butler visit https://www.drtiffanybutler.com/dr-butler/ Connect with Dr. Butler on social media #drtiffanybutler