Who has dealt with either tennis or golfer's elbow?

[Tom the Golf Nut]

2 hours ago, RollingGreens said:

I really wish I could. Unfortunately I think those types of trips are out of my wheelhouse with my wife after having our first child last year!

That is exactly why you need to get away. It's only the weekend and I'm sure you could use a break. 

But seriously I understand completely. When I had to go on business trips when the kids were born or very young, my wife had her mom come stay with her to help out. When I got home, it was "pass the baton".  Here they are yours, I'm going shopping. Now that they are 19 and 21, they all want me to leave! 

[Jcosta]

Sounds like this discussion needs to be a new topic. "Raising kids and attempting to keep our golf games alive" . Many have done it. Let's help the folks struggling with elbow issues here and move the kids, family discussions to another post

[Bang60]

8 hours ago, Jcosta said:

Sounds like this discussion needs to be a new topic. "Raising kids and attempting to keep our golf games alive" . Many have done it. Let's help the folks struggling with elbow issues here and move the kids, family discussions to another post

Sorry have to disagree, I'm guilty of going off topic but I believe if your/my off topic comments still interfere with your ability to play golf then it's not off topic in my view. I'm sure the Mods will let us know when anyone's transgressions are beyond the pale...

[RollingGreens]

On 12/23/2022 at 3:57 PM, DGA3 said:

Congratulations!

Do you have any additional information about this (YouTubes videos and/or websites)?

"The tennis elbow strap research has been updated and results show it isn’t as effective as previously thought."

-RollingGreens

I can send you article but essentially it supports light exercise with stretching, the biggest utilization is the addition of Grayson techniques/massage and dry needling. Any other modalities hot/cold laser, e-stim( interferrential, TENS, or noxious). A cortisone injection isn’t a bad option if the pain is too much that you have difficulty participating in therapy.  Another option could be PRP injections, those also can be helpful in situation where there is small testing of the muscle.
 

https://www.jospt.org/doi/10.2519/jospt.2022.0302

[RollingGreens]

On 12/21/2022 at 9:21 AM, thejestes said:

Have dealt with this the latter half of this year and 3-4 different times in life. It does help that winter in Texas is here and long stretches of 40 & 30 degree weather makes us Texans run from playing outdoors. To compound my interest in learning preventive exercise, is from a buddy of mine who tore this tendon in ‘21 and losing 8 months of golf. Really appreciate the advice @Tom the Golf Nut @RollingGreens. I would also appreciate a video to learn more about tennis elbow strap research. Looking at starting fit for golf at the start of ‘23. Need to get stronger and walk more. Merry Christmas all!

The strap itself may or may not help people. Research previously showed that it was helpful and now studies are showing it may not be as helpful as we once thought. 

 

this is pretty similar to what we use in my clinic. The key is not to over tighten it. Snug enough that you feel the muscle widen from the compression of the brace
 

https://proband.com/products/proband®-bandit?variant=37586370461878&currency=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&gclid=CjwKCAiAhqCdBhB0EiwAH8M_Gs2XGFoK709Y1y8u4EiMqXXkjivExN6IjWbJudnK3SlEB1ySlbH1oxoCYGAQAvD_BwE

[PMookie]

I’ve posted this previously about tennis elbow, but there is a way to alleviate by finding a physical therapist that knows how to manipulate the tendon and get you stretched-out in that area. I have a guy here that gets rid of it in two visits. He’s a wizard at all this stuff! Straps, creams and meds won’t solve it long term. Call around. My guy is $60/visit and he’s WORTH IT!

[DGA3]

17 hours ago, RollingGreens said:

The strap itself may or may not help people. Research previously showed that it was helpful and now studies are showing it may not be as helpful as we once thought. 

 

this is pretty similar to what we use in my clinic.

 

The key is not to over tighten it. Snug enough that you feel the muscle widen from the compression of the brace
 

https://proband.com/products/proband®-bandit?variant=37586370461878&currency=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&gclid=CjwKCAiAhqCdBhB0EiwAH8M_Gs2XGFoK709Y1y8u4EiMqXXkjivExN6IjWbJudnK3SlEB1ySlbH1oxoCYGAQAvD_BwE

 

That may have been the cause of my second bout with lateral epicondylitis. After the first time, I did all the rehab and strengthened my tendons in the elbow area with a squeeze-grip device and the green Theraband Flexbar. I worked my way back into golf slowly, to the point where I was playing about 3 times a week. I also started wearing a forearm brace, because I read all about how it "takes the pressure off of the tendons at the attachment point," and therefore helps prevent tennis elbow. As the weeks wore on, I continued to use the brace, and - thinking that more is better - started tightening even more and more . . . as tight as physically possible! Of course, after a golf shot, I would loosen it or even take it off if I were chipping or putting, but for every shot: extremely tight.

 

Then - without warning - after about a month and a half of playing injury-free golf (I even joked that I was just wearing the brace as a "security blanket"), when I made contact with the ball on the first tee of a round . . . SNAP! It felt like a guitar string had broken, and the injury was back. That, despite my thinking that I was protected from any damage because I had the strap on so tight that it was probably cutting off my circulation.

 

RollingGreens - I think your warning to not over-tighten the brace is valid, and that my doing so contributed to me re-injuring my elbow. Thanks for the additional information on the subject and the links you provided.

[GivMeADouble]

On 12/20/2022 at 9:10 AM, DGA3 said:

Otherwise known as lateral or medial epicondylitis. 

 

I had a bout with it in early August, and - after taking a couple of weeks off and then doing some of my own rehab based on watching numerous YouTube PT videos - was able to resume playing while wearing a forearm brace for extra support/protection. Everything went well while playing 2-3 times a week for about two months.

 

However, in mid-October, I had played on a Tuesday and Wednesday, and was asked to compete in a Ryder Cup tournament on the weekend, which sounded like fun, so I entered. Everything went fine until Sunday, when - after warming up thoroughly - I stepped to the first tee, swung my driver, made contact with the ball, and BAM! The pain returned, much in the fashion of a guitar string snapping.

 

I figure that although I felt as if my initial injury was completely healed, it probably was only about 90%, which allowed me to get away with playing 2-3 times a week. However, pushing it to 4 times, along with long, extensive warmups for the tournament, was just too much for my forearm tendons to take, and they snapped.

 

And yes, I went to an Ortho both times, and they basically recommended rest, stretching, and wearing a wrist brace for a couple of weeks. Right now I am fortunate that it is not golf season here in central Ohio, and I can rest it even more, while continuing to do some of my self-discovered therapies (hand gripper device and a Theraband Flexbar).

 

Hopefully, by the Spring I will be ready to once again play golf injury free. I just have to pace myself and not overdo it like the last time!

 

What about you?

 

Who here has experienced either tennis or golfer's elbow? How have you dealt with it, and what have you discovered helps you heal?

I've had both and with both cases it took a very long period of rest to recover from unfortunately. Try seeking medical help but every rehab I tried only made it worse it seemed. It took 3 plus months off to heal the one and 6 month for the tennis. It sucks but you can still play you just have to limit use quite a bit. No weight lifting heavy activity etc... It really is a crappy thing to go thru

[Ken9119]

Years ago I suffered with the occasional, but intense, golf elbow.

I had a book of stretches and found one that looked promising. It's pretty simple. Get on the floor (carpeted!) on your hands and knees. Turn your hands around, fingers facing towards you, flat on the floor. Gently lean back towards your heels until you get a nice stretch. I usually do it in 3 steps, about 20 seconds each, leaning back a little more each time.

Since I've been doing this, a couple times a week, and before going to play golf, I have had absolutely no issues with golf/tennis elbow. None! My physical therapist says I'm stretching the ligaments in my arm and forearm that will tend to prevent inflammation in the elbow region.

Try it and see if it works for you.

[GolfNut14]

I had a bout of golfers elbow this past summer. I did a lot of research of the causes and remedies to treat it. First time I had ever had such pain like this in my right elbow area.  I rested between rounds by playing and practicing less which did help some. I used Ibuprofen before rounds which helped some. But ended up doing stretches on both arms before a round that specifically stretched the elbow area. This helped tremendously in almost eliminating the pain during a round. I also started incorporating rotator cuff strengthening exercises into my workout routine and that has helped as well. I figured the injury to my elbow  was from all the years of pitching and had finally caught up to me. And maybe it had a little something to do it, but my hopes is that with the winter off and continuation of the stretching and strengthening exercises that I will be good to go come spring. But I will say the stretches before a round or practice helped tremendously. 

[Bang60]

1 hour ago, GolfNut14 said:

But I will say the stretches before a round or practice helped tremendously. 

This I believe is KEY to preventing injuries, keeping your muscles loose makes for enjoyable golf. I've also found massage is magic, a month ago I bought a massage gun $69NZ. I've used it almost daily and some days more than once, my body feels much better when I wake in the morning. I'm feeling confident I'm onto the right combo of stretch exercise to improve my handicap...

[Richard Wise]

My Dr. gave me predisone 20 mg a day for 3 days cleared it up.It was better than the needle and draining it.

[Golfin Guy]

I had it so bad that I could not grip anything and hold on. I was in a networking group and we had a chiropractor in the group. Now I always thought that stuff was voodoo but i was hurting so bad I was willing to try anything. I asked if he could help and he said he was not sure, let's take a look. I met at his office the next day where after examination he did an adjustment and when he got the spine right between my shoulder bland to move it felt like an explosion. I felt immediate relief. When I left I had about 85-90% of my strength back in my right hand and within 24 hours I was 100%. I have had similar issues a couple of times since during the last 20 years and a trip to the doc normally does the trick.  

[Donn lost in San Diego]

Long term: Alexander Technique.

[Donn lost in San Diego]

I have severe scoliosis and kyphosis (forward thrust neck).  Am somewhat a hunchback.  P.T., doctors, massage therapist for immediate relief.  But long run, you need to reduce the stress of muscle fighting muscle.  Alexander Technique is a method to train yourself in posture, movement, and balance, to find where the body wants to be with the least amount of soft tissue under stress, of muscles relaxed, and not fighting against each other.  You merely learn where relaxation is and how to stay close to relaxed in all your daily actiivities.  Many famous actors, musicians, and dancers are successful using Alexander Technique.  It has saved me.  Better than Pilates and Yoga, tho they are both good too.

[Bang60]

On 12/27/2022 at 7:48 PM, Donn lost in San Diego said:

Long term: Alexander Technique.

110% Alexander Technique I'd forgotten all about it, Bugger it's been 30ish years since I've needed it and I'd forgotten. Thank you for reminding me, cheers Colin...