When you feel pain or soreness in the inner part (medial epicondyle) of your elbow it is called Golfer’s Elbow; it is due to the extensive pressure being exerted on the joints. Well, it is commonly seen in people who are involved in activities that require regular movement of wrist and forearm such as people who play golf.
Let’s look into the causes, symptoms, and its treatment, but before getting ahead, it is essential to know what is Golfer’s Elbow in detail:
What is Golfer’s Elbow?
The anterior or front part of the lower elbow contains several muscles that involve the movement of hands and wrists. The tissues of these muscles come together to form a tendinous sheath. This sheath originates from the medial epicondyle of the long bone that runs from the shoulders to the elbow joint. It could happen due to minor injury or accident, leading to inflammation and pain in the forearm and wrist. This painful condition is called golfer’s elbow.
What are the Symptoms of Golfer’s Elbow?
Golfer’s elbow causes pain in the inner front part of your elbow. Here are some of the symptoms that you may encounter while suffering from Golfer’s Elbow:
● Stiffness in your elbow
● Feeling of pain while making a fist
● Experiencing weakness while making a grip
● Tingling in your arm and fingers
● Experiencing pain while swinging a racket or golf club, squeeze a ball, shaking hands with someone, turn a doorknob, lifting weights, or flexing the wrist
What are the Causes of Golfer’s Elbow?
When you put too much stress on your muscles, joints, or other tissues without allowing them to recover, it causes Golfer’s Elbow. If you are involved in any activity that requires regular gripping motion, such as throwing, weight training, rock climbing, tennis, etc., leads to stiffness and tenderness in your muscles. This tenderness leads to pain, causing difficulty in the free movement of the elbow and wrist.
How to Prevent and Treat Golfer’s Elbow?
Follow the below-mentioned steps to prevent Golfer’s Elbow:
● Do exercises using light weight while keeping your wrist rigid and stable to reduce force. Do repetitive squeezing of a tennis ball to strengthen forearm muscles.
● Stretch your muscles to warm up a little before you begin any cardiac exercises such as jogging or walking.
● If you are involved in activities such as golf or baseball, consider using the right equipment that fits you properly to avoid any unnecessary pressure on elbows.
● Avoid overuse of elbow; even if you notice the slightest pain in your elbow then, take proper rest.
The treatment is aimed to relieve pain and allow the tendon in the elbow to heal. It includes the following:
● Primary treatment usually involves rest, ice packs on the affected area, and anti-inflammatory medicines.
● One can try a physical therapy and exercise program.
● Cortisone shots are another way to reduce swelling and relieve pain.
● If nothing works, then surgery might be an option to cope with such a condition.
Apart from this, there are manly oils and balms available in the market to soothe joint pains. One such soothing ointment is CBD soothing balm from BaelWellness that helps in joint pains. It is a natural remedy for golfer’s elbow and tennis elbow. Calm down your strained muscles with this magical balm.