Elbow Problems/Pain

[gunning4u]

Just wondering if I was the only one who gets a tender left elbow from playing golf, I started to notice it last year after a few range sessions it would start bothering me about half way threw and I could defiantly feel it the next day, I’m right handed by the way. I haven’t hit balls in awhile like 3 months and I was just screwing around the house swing clubs I can still feel some tenderness even when I just grip the club, so I sure as hell don’t want to go down and hit off a mat any time soon. I wonder if my strong grip might have something to do with it because when I weaken my grip the tension in my elbow reduces and it feels a little better. Somedays it’s worse than others and today I can really feel it maybe its arthritis, we have a cold front scheduled to roll in today. Maybe its just something I will have to live with the rest of my life, and I’m only 31. Does anyone else have this problem and is there anything I can do about it.

[FKA19]

Originally Posted by gunning4u

Just wondering if I was the only one who gets a tender left elbow from playing golf, I started to notice it last year after a few range sessions it would start bothering me about half way threw and I could defiantly feel it the next day, I’m right handed by the way. I haven’t hit balls in awhile like 3 months and I was just screwing around the house swing clubs I can still feel some tenderness even when I just grip the club, so I sure as hell don’t want to go down and hit off a mat any time soon. I wonder if my strong grip might have something to do with it because when I weaken my grip the tension in my elbow reduces and it feels a little better. Somedays it’s worse than others and today I can really feel it maybe its arthritis, we have a cold front scheduled to roll in today. Maybe its just something I will have to live with the rest of my life, and I’m only 31. Does anyone else have this problem and is there anything I can do about it.

Does your range use mats?

[gunning4u]

Only the indoor range has mats and I only go there in the winter, but by mid summer around here the ground gets pretty hard also.

[sssmokin]

I had a similar problem last year. I go regularly to a CERTIFIED SPORTS Chiropractor, and she worked on it for only 2 sessions. Fixed it up and haven't had a problem since. Something with the nerve bundles located in that area. Might not work for you, but could save a lot of hassle with freekin' money hungry Surgeons.

[Clugnut]

There are two kinds of elbow pain. Tennis elbow I believe is on the inside of the elbow. I struggle with the other kind, which is in the large muscle on the top of the elbow, what my friends call "the masturbation muscle". I am left handed, and I golf and swing a hammer for a living. Two years ago, it really started to hurt when working in the cold, and practicing off of hard surfaces. I switched to a lighter hammer with a fiberglass handle, and took it easy for a while. What happens is the muscle gets tight around there, and gets really sore. Hurts like crazy. One thing you can do is to hold your arm straight out, grasp the muscle with your first two fingers, put your thumb in the pit of your elbow, and pull the muscle clockwise to take the tension off. This will help, and they make a wrap that will do the same thing.

BTW, I was 25 when this started happening to me. Scared me because I thought it would effect my career. But I got past it. You may need to not hit balls for a while to let the soreness go away. Good luck!

[gunning4u]

I might need to weaken my grip a bit and maybe tweak my siwing a little but I rather not, I would try a shot first if this doesn't go away. I found this on the web:

Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) is the most common elbow problem for golfers. It occurs on the outer aspect of the left elbow in the right-handed golfer. The motion of the left arm during the swing is similar to the backhand tennis [COLOR=blue! important][FONT=Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif][COLOR=blue! important][FONT=Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif]stroke[/font][/font][/color][/color]. It is the contraction of the left elbow extensor mass during impact, to maintain control of the club, that usually produces the injury. Clinically there is tenderness over the extensor mass 1-2cm distal to the lateral epicondyle. In severe cases resisted wrist extension or passive wrist flexion will aggravate the pain.

The most effective short-term treatment is corticosteroid injection, but to keep the condition at bay, patients will need to modify their activity(9). Once the acute symptoms have gone, patients should seek advice from a golf professional to reduce grip tension and swing errors (especially a flat swing plane). Clubs should have large grips, more flexible shafts (graphite or mechanically filtered steel) and heads with larger sweet spots to reduce vibration. A counterforce brace in the proximal forearm significantly reduces vibration and acceleration forces at the elbow(10). In recalcitrant cases, [COLOR=blue! important][FONT=Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif][COLOR=blue! important][FONT=Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif]surgery[/font][/font][/color][/color] is indicated.

Medial epicondylitis (golfer’s elbow) is an overuse syndrome involving the musculo-tendinous origins of the flexor pronator mass. Swing technique errors such as ‘hitting from the top’ can create excessive valgus [COLOR=blue! important][FONT=Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif][COLOR=blue! important][FONT=Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif]stress[/font][/font][/color][/color] on the elbow and lead to tension overload injury to the flexor pronator group. Patients describe aching pain on the inner side of the elbow, frequently radiating into the forearm. Patients may also complain of weakness of grip strength and pain to resisted wrist pronation and flexion. Associated ulnar nerve symptoms are common with this condition and are probably secondary to local inflammation, resulting in neuritis and entrapment.

Conservative treatment is similar to that for lateral epicondylitis. Once symptoms have improved, patients should follow a supervised [COLOR=blue! important][FONT=Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif][COLOR=blue! important][FONT=Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif]rehab[/font][/font][/color][/color] programme. Initially exercises are done with the elbow flexed, progressing into greater extension as symptoms improve. The goal is to achieve better levels of strength and endurance than pre-injury. And, as with tennis elbow, the golfer must improve their technique and equipment. Counterforce bracing is helpful.

[Clugnut]

Oh, right. I had it backwards. I struggle with tennis elbow, instead of golfer's elbow. Which do you have? I personally hate the suggestions. Softer shafts? Game improvement irons? Screw that!

[gunning4u]

Mine is on the outside of the elbow. I might get one of those bands you can ware just below the elbow.