Written by: Nurudeen Tijani (Wellness and Pain Relief Fitness Coach)
The primary cause of pain inside the elbow is restricted wrist flexors that strain the medial elbow tendon during repetitive or strenuous activities. To prevent discomfort, maintain pliable forearms through self-myofascial release. These exercises can instantly relieve muscle restrictions and minimize the risk of injury, overuse, and inflammation.
Ready to fix your elbow? Yes, I'm ready to eliminate pain .
Table of Content:
Causes | Symptoms | Prevention | Treatment | Resources
Golfer's elbow, also known as medial epicondylitis, is an overuse injury causing pain at the inside part of the elbow due to inflammation of the medial elbow tendon. It can develop gradually (chronic) or occur suddenly (acute).
Various repetitive or strenuous activities can lead to this condition, including:
The wrist flexors can become restricted over an extended period. This restriction occurs as the muscles shorten, tighten, and tense up due to repetitive movements, muscular contraction, overuse, and a lack of myofascial release.
It is essential to understand that physical activities are not the underlying cause of this condition. For most people, the primary reason is restricted forearm and wrist flexors that strain the tendon due to a lack of myofascial release.
For a deeper understanding and guidance on golfer's elbow exercises, check out my article: Elbow Tendonitis.
Ready to eliminate pain at its source? Yes, I'm ready to fix my elbow .
The photo below shows the wrist flexor muscles. The "X" indicated in the photo is where trigger points in the flexors tend to occur. Trigger points, known as muscle knots, are small, hyperirritable spots within a muscle. They cause pain and tenderness and can develop due to overuse, stress, or injury.
The symptoms of golfer's elbow include:
Muscle tension can contribute to golfer's elbow by causing the wrist flexors to become restricted, which increases stress on the tendons. The muscle conditions that lead to pain on the inside of the elbow develop gradually over time due to repetitive use, causing the forearm flexors to become shortened, tight, and inelastic.
Unfortunately, most people are often unaware of the restricted state of their forearm flexors until they experience a sudden onset of pain during these activities.
When the wrist flexors are chronically restricted, everyday activities that involve gripping or lifting can suddenly trigger pain without an apparent cause. This muscle restriction process can take months or even years to develop.
In the video below, I demonstrate the Pliability Test on the forearm extensors, which cause pain on the outside part of the elbow. With golfer's elbow, the same muscle conditions are likely present in the forearm flexors.
The most important thing you can do to prevent golfer's elbow is to maintain pliable forearms through self-myofascial release (SMR) exercises. SMR involves using tools like foam rollers or massage balls to release tight and tense muscles, reducing the pulling tension on connective tissues and the joint. Other prevention tips include:
Avoid or modify activities that require repetitive or strenuous wrist and arm movements. They can place excessive load on the forearms and strain the joint. Examples include:
If you're still engaging in physical activities while recovering from golfer's elbow, consider the following:
Here are some alternative activities and modifications:
Compression sleeves, such as elbow wraps, straps, and support braces, can alleviate joint discomfort from various activities. However, it's essential to consider the pros and cons:
Pros:
Cons:
Whether or not you can continue engaging in physical activities depends on the severity of the pain. If it's mild, you can use conventional pain relief methods or short-term remedies such as sports or kinesiology tape, compression sleeves, braces, or straps to reduce discomfort. However, if the pain is chronic, severe, or causes sharp pain, it's best to treat the underlying cause before resuming activity.
In the video below, I demonstrate mobility exercises using a resistance band to warm up and strengthen the arm joint. These exercises can help with healing and recovery.
The acute symptoms of golfer's elbow can subside with rest. However, the underlying factors contributing to this condition, such as restricted and tense forearm muscles, do not resolve unassisted. In fact, for many individuals, it often worsens over time.
Here's why:
Check out this article for a complete list of short-term remedies and their pros and cons.
To perform this exercise, you'll need a peanut and lacrosse ball, available on Amazon or at sporting goods stores.
How to Treat Golfer's Elbow (photos below):
Massage the Forearm Flexor Muscles:
Routine:
Remember that the muscle conditions that cause pain are present in other parts of the forearm and triceps. As such, use a holistic approach and treat the entire arm to prevent other forms of tendonitis and achieve lasting relief.
If you'd like to see a demonstration of additional elbow exercises, click here to view photos.
With proper treatment, including cold and heat therapy, magnesium supplementation, and self-myofascial release, golfer's elbow can heal within 7-10 days. Performing SMR on the forearm muscles at least 2-3 times daily is crucial for fast results.
Get step-by-step video guidance to ensure you perform these exercises correctly and see results as fast as possible.
Ready to begin? Yes, I'm ready to heal my elbow .
For more information on managing tendon pain, explore these helpful articles:
Remember, addressing the root cause of the pain is crucial for long-term relief. Take proactive steps today to ensure your elbows stay healthy and pain-free.
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Get access to the TitaniumPhysique Program today. Yes, I'm ready to eliminate pain .
Resources
• Elbow pain
https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/elbow-pain/basics/causes/sym-20050874
• Muscle Stiffness
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/25147-muscle-stiffness
• The Magnesium Miracle (Second Edition)
https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Magnesium_Miracle_Second_Edition.html?id=2lBcDAAAQBAJ&source=kp_book_description
• Elbow sprain - aftercare
https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/selfcare-instructions/elbow-sprain-aftercare#:~:text=Ice%20your%20elbow%20for%2015,ice%20can%20damage%20your%20skin
• Arthritis of the Elbow
https://www.cedars-sinai.org/health-library/diseases-and-conditions/a/arthritis-of-the-elbow.html
• Patient education: Elbow tendinopathy (tennis and golf elbow) (Beyond the Basics)
https://www.uptodate.com/contents/elbow-tendinopathy-tennis-and-golf-elbow-beyond-the-basics
• THE EFFECTS OF SELF‐MYOFASCIAL RELEASE USING A FOAM ROLL OR ROLLER MASSAGER ON JOINT RANGE OF MOTION, MUSCLE RECOVERY, AND PERFORMANCE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4637917/
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