Treatment For Golfer’s Elbow
Golfer’s elbow is a painful form of tendonitis in the elbow joint; inflammation and joint immobility make it difficult to retain normal range of motion in your elbows and arms. Pain starts on the inside of your elbow and can radiate up and down the arm, depending on the degree of inflammation you are experiencing.
While not as common as tennis elbow, which affects the joint on the outer side of the elbow, golfer’s elbow is equally as painful if not addressed and given adequate time for rest and repair. Some well-known symptoms that accompany golfer’s elbow include:
- Pain and stiffness in your elbows
- Tenderness and joint pain that that center around your inner elbow joint
- Problems performing certain movements, such as swinging a golf club or tightening your fist
- Tingling or numbness in the outer part of the hand and fingers
- Weakness in hands, wrists
- Weakness in forearms
What Causes Golfer’s Elbow?
Repetitive flexing of muscles in the forearm and repeated use of your elbow joint to swing and carry clubs can cause tears in the tendons of your elbow, exacerbating this condition. Despite its name, this painful condition can be caused by a number of activities, including:
- Racket Sports Using a racket for sports like tennis and racquetball can irritate tendons alongside the elbow joint. Using a racket that is too light or too heavy can also contribute to joint irritation.
- Sports Involving Throwing Movements Baseball, archery, bowling, and other sports involving repetitive throwing movements can inflame the elbow joints as well. If you engage in sports that incorporate these types of movements, consider monitoring your form and technique to reduce your chances of injury.
- Weight Training Lifting an excessive amount of weight or engaging in repetitive weight training movements can also irritate and inflame the tendons along your elbow. Take breaks during training and choose a lifting schedule that allows for rest days in between strenuous workouts.
Treating Golfer’s Elbow
While reducing inflammation with the use of ibuprofen and anti-inflammatories is an option, the only long term solution for lasting relief from golfer’s elbow is chiropractic treatment. Read on to see what your chiro can do to get you back on track and back on the course, virtually pain-free.
Lasting Relief from Chiro Care
Your chiropractor will assess your elbow and make recommendations for alternative treatment, including:
- Rest and recovery
- ice and heat therapy
- Compression sleeve to help reduce inflammation
- Subluxation correction to help reduce tension and inflammation of joints
The goal of chiro is to realign the body, bring health to the nervous system, and reduce inflammation that can lead to conditions like golfer’s elbow. Chiro care focuses on total body health and wellness, with the theory that a healthy nervous system free from subluxations will help facilitate the body’s own natural healing process. Follow recommendations given to you by your chiro when undergoing treatment, and look forward to pain-free life and recreation once more.
Premiere Chiropractic specializes in a multi-step approach to total body recovery. Using cutting-edge technology, holistic healing techniques, and a passion for health, we will work with you to design a care plan that helps you return to health as quickly as possible. Contact us today to see how we can help improve the quality of your life….and perhaps the score of your next game. Here’s to your best health.