Prevent Golfer’s Elbow

A golfer’s elbow is an injury resulting from damage to the tendons that bend your wrist toward your palm.

Medically, it is referred to as Medial epicondylitis. Still, it is typically called golfer’s elbow, forearm tennis elbow, suitcase elbow, or baseball elbow because it often happens to people who play these sports or frequently perform repetitive gripping movements such as carpenters and plumbers.

The pain and tenderness are felt on the inside of the upper forearm, where the tendons attach to the bony bump at the side of your elbow (the medial epicondylar ridge). The injury can make it difficult to lift things upward with your hand or bend the wrist.

Preventing Golfer’s Elbow Before It Happens

Prevention is almost always better than treatment after the damage is done.

To minimize your risk of injury:

Strengthen Your Forearm Muscles

Wrist curls with light weights can help strengthen your wrist and forearm muscles. Avoid heavy weights and high reps, and make sure you allow for plenty of time and recovery between exercise sessions.

You can also try squeezing a tennis ball for a few minutes to improve your grip strength and the associated muscles.

Change Your Form and Technique

It is essential to keep your posture in proper form and alignment with any highly repetitive actions. Poor technique and overuse can quickly wear down the tendons of your arms and wrists, making them more susceptible to damage.

Try slowing down your golf swing so that the impact of hitting the ball is a little less forceful.

Find a better posture so that your grip doesn’t torque your wrist or overload your muscles as much.

Using lighter graphite clubs instead of heavier iron clubs can also minimize the stress on your wrists and forearms.

Warming Up

Before physically exerting yourself, warm up and thoroughly stretch out your shoulder, arm, and back muscles. This warm-up gets your blood flowing into all the right places and sets you up for better performance and less risk of injury.

Drink plenty of water before, during, and after your activities, especially when you are outside and in the sun.

Get Plenty of Rest

If your tendons are overworked, it is vital to allow them to recover and rebuild so they do not get inflamed or have any injuries that could result in long-term damage. You may need to take a break from certain activities to allow your tendons the time and space to recover.

Treating Golfer’s Elbow

If you already have a golfer’s elbow, it is important to seek treatment as soon as possible.

The earlier the injury is diagnosed and treated, the better your chances of recovering quickly.

In addition to alleviating the symptoms, many recent advances in treatment may resolve the underlying condition.

Check-in with your doctor if you feel any tingling, numbness, swelling, deformity, or immobility. They can test for other possible causes, such as damage to your neck or back and nerve or joint disorders.