Golfer's Elbow

What is Golfer’s Elbow?

Known as Medial Epicondylitis, Golfer’s Elbow is a painful condition that affects the forearm muscles that attach from the wrist to the ‘funny-bone’ area of the arm, located near the inner part of the elbow (see diagram).

Activities that involve repetitive wrist flexion (bending the hand downward) and twisting the palm outward can cause irritation and subsequently much discomfort. In essence, Golfer’s Elbow is a form of tendonitis that affects the tendon located on the inside of the elbow. The pain is typically constant and may worsen if left untreated.
To know if you truly have Golfer’s Elbow and not the closely-related Tennis Elbow, you need to isolate where the pain is being experienced. Follow your tendons of the forearm muscles to where they attach to the bony bump on the inside of the elbow. If this is where the pain is being felt, you likely are suffering from Golfer’s Elbow which is caused by other repetitive movements besides golf, although the motions of golf are most commonly attributed to this form of tendonitis thus the name.

How Can Massage Therapy Treat Golfer’s Elbow?

In most cases, the recommended action is to take fewer actions such as avoiding the movements that caused the Golfer’s Elbow in the first place. This rest period can take from as little as 6 months up to 2 years depending on the severity of the condition and the length of time one has been experiencing the discomfort. To speed up the healing process and help make one less susceptible to aggravating the injury in the future, cross-friction massage applied to the tendon itself can do a world of good in stimulating the healing process. Massaging the surrounding muscles in the forearms serves to decrease the inflammation in the tendons. Massage also breaks down scar tissue that often forms around the injured tendons. As always, maximizing blood flow is known to expedite the healing process of all tissues. Additionally, our Registered Massage Therapists here at Urban Massage may treat your Golfer’s Elbow with deep tissue techniques after evaluating the severity of your condition. They will also guide you on self0-care practices that you can do between treatments to assist you on the journey to wellness and recovery.

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