Golfer’s Elbow

Medial Epicondyle Anatomy

The medial epicondyle is a bony prominence at the end of your humerus, or upper arm bone. It serves as a point of origin for the common flexor tendon of the wrist and finger flexor muscles.

The medial epicondyle protects the ulnar nerve that runs in a groove behind it. When struck, the medial epicondyle produces a painful tingling sensation in the ulnar nerve, and we say we have hit our “funny bone”.

Golfer’s elbow is actually an injury to the tendons of the muscles that flex the wrist and fingers, and rotate the hand palm down. In golfers, it is more likely to occur in the trailing arm, not in the lead arm.

Golfer’s Elbow Symptoms

Golfer’s elbow Is a cousin to tennis elbow, which affects the lateral epicondyle.

Golfer’s elbow symptoms include:

• Pain when gripping with the wrists and fingers
• Pain while stretching the wrist flexor muscles
• Tenderness over the bony condyle of the elbow
• Presence of trigger points in the wrist flexor muscles
• Tenderness and stiffness in the neck
• Irritation in the median nerve that passes through the carpal tunnel

Causes of Golfer’s Elbow

Golfer’s elbow is an overuse syndrome from repetitive motion. It begins when healthy muscles and tendons are subjected to more force than they can handle, and small tears to the tendon occur that worsen over time, causing pain and inflammation. Golfer’s elbow is more often seen in amateur golfers than in pros.

Chronic golfer’s elbow that does not respond to treatment for inflammation may indicate unhealthy degenerative changes in the muscle tissue that will not heal on their own.

Underlying causes of golfer’s elbow include:

Poor mechanics in golf swing execution

Impact with the ball or ground that causes pain and tearing

High numbers of swings per game, including warmup

Premature release of the wrists during the downswing is a common mechanical cause of golfer’s elbow. Other related mechanical causes include weakness in the core, pelvis and hips; limited range of motion in the hip and ankle; and poor balance.

Golfer’s Elbow Treatment

• NSAIDs like ibuprofen or naproxen to reduce pain and inflammation
• Rest, ice, compression and elevation
• Elbow bracing
• Specific therapeutic exercise to strengthen and stretch the muscles and tendons acting at the elbow

Golfer’s Elbow Rehab at NYDNR

At NYDNR, We provide comprehensive individualized treatment for our patients with golfer’s elbow. Your treatment plan may include some or all of the following:

• DNS (dynamic neuromuscular stabilization) to restore alignment, stability and mobility in the wrist and elbow
• Myofascial manipulation to lengthen the fascia, thereby reducing stress to the muscles and tendons
• Ultrasound-guided dry needling to eliminate trigger points in the muscles
• ESWT (extracorporeal shock wave therapy) to increase circulation and accelerate healing of damaged tissues
• Therapy to correct sport-specific mechanical deficiencies

The joint pain specialists at NYDNR know how to heal golfer’s elbow, and to equip you with skills and strategies to avoid elbow injury in the future.

Kineo Intelligent Load is a Game-Changer for Golfer’s Elbow

At the end of the day, injury to the medial epicondyle is caused by overuse, which in turn is caused by faulty movement mechanics. In order to correct deficiencies in your golf swing, you need to reprogram your muscles and your brain to move in more efficient ways that don’t cause pain and injury.

The Kineo Intelligent Load system lets you improve your golf swing by providing visual and auditory corrective feedback as you move through your swing. Its variable loading system can be set in viscous or elastic mode as your tissues heal, and progressed to eccentric/concentric biphasic loading to enhance performance.

Return to your favorite game with a better, more powerful swing, without fear of pain or overuse, thanks to Kineo Intelligent Load.