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Understanding Golfer’s Elbow
Golfer’s Elbow is a condition characterised by pain and inflammation on the inside of the elbow, where the forearm tendons connect to the elbow’s inner bony prominence. This condition is not limited to golfers and can affect anyone who performs repetitive wrist and arm motions that strain the muscles.
The pain is usually caused by overuse or misuse of the forearm muscles, especially during activities that involve gripping, twisting, or lifting.
Pain management for Golfer’s Elbow focuses on relieving discomfort, reducing inflammation, and preventing further strain on the affected tendons.
Pre-Exercise Considerations for Pain Relief
Before embarking on exercises to alleviate pain from Golfer’s Elbow, consider these factors to ensure the effectiveness of the exercise regimen and minimise the risk of further injury. It’s essential to approach the exercise routine with caution and to be aware of your body’s limits.
Consult a Healthcare Professional
First, consult a healthcare professional, like a physiotherapist or a sports medicine specialist, as a professional can provide the right diagnosis and recommend specific exercises tailored to your condition’s severity.
Assess Pain Levels
Assess your pain levels before starting any exercises, to avoid worsening. A good rule of thumb is to operate within a pain threshold of 2-3 on a 10-point scale, where 0 represents no pain and 10 represents severe pain.
Warm-Up
Starting with a gentle warm-up before exercise can increase blood flow to the muscles and tendons around the elbow, making them more flexible and less prone to injury. This includes gentle arm movements, wrist rotations, and light stretching of the forearm muscles.
Be Consistent and Patient
Healing and pain relief is a gradual process. Be patient, as trying to rush the healing process by overexerting yourself can lead to further injury.
Stretching Exercises for Alleviating Pain
Stretching exercises aim to increase flexibility, reduce stiffness, and improve the range of motion of the elbow and forearm.
Wrist Flexor Stretch: Extend your affected arm in front of you with your palm facing down. Use your other hand to gently press down on the fingers of your extended hand, stretching the forearm muscles. Hold this position for 15-30 seconds, then repeat 2-3 times.
Wrist Extensor Stretch: Extend your affected arm in front of you with your palm facing up. Gently press the fingers towards the floor using your other hand, so your wrist is bending. Hold this stretch for 15-30 seconds, then repeat 2-3 times.
Elbow Bend: Stand with your shoulders relaxed and slowly bend your elbow, bringing your hand closer to your shoulder. Use your other hand to apply gentle pressure for a deeper stretch, if comfortable.
Hold for 15-30 seconds and repeat 2-3 times.
Palm-Up Wrist Stretch: Extend your arm in front of you with your palm facing up, and gently pull the fingers of your extended hand towards you with your other hand. Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds and repeat, avoiding any movements that exacerbate pain.
It’s essential to perform these stretches gently and within a comfortable range of motion. Consistency is key and these stretches should be done regularly, ideally 2-3 times a day, to achieve the best results in increased flexibility.
Strengthening Exercises to Reduce Discomfort
Strengthening the muscles in the forearm can improve stability, increase muscle endurance, and reduce the load on the tendons.
Ball Squeeze: Squeeze a soft rubber ball or a stress ball in your hand, and hold the squeeze for 3-5 seconds.
Release the squeeze slowly and repeat 10-15 times with each session.
Wrist Curls: Sit in a chair with your forearm resting on a table and palm facing up. Hold a light weight in your hand and slowly curl the wrist up towards your body, before lowering it back down. Perform 2-3 sets of 10-15 repetitions each.
Forearm Pronation and Supination: Hold a light dumbbell with your arm at your side and elbow at a 90-degree angle, then rotate the wrist and forearm so that the palm faces up and then down. Perform this movement slowly for 2-3 sets of 10-15 repetitions on each side.
Finger Extension: Place a rubber band around your fingers and slowly extend your fingers against the resistance of the rubber band. Hold the extension for a few seconds, then slowly release. Repeat 10-15 times for 2-3 sets.
When performing these strengthening exercises, it’s important to start with light weights or resistance and gradually increase as your strength improves.
Preventing Golfer’s Elbow Pain Recurrence
Incorporate these regular stretching and strengthening exercises for the forearm and wrist into your routine, even after your Golfer’s Elbow has healed. This can help maintain muscle balance, flexibility, and strength, reducing the likelihood of injury.
However, remember to pay attention to your body’s signals. If you begin to feel pain or discomfort, take a break and assess what may be causing the issue. Do not continue to push through the pain as it can lead to a more serious injury.
Allow adequate rest between activities that put stress on your elbows to give your muscles and tendons time to recover.
Conclusion
Manage and prevent Golfer’s Elbow by making these pain relief exercises part of your daily routine. For example, performing wrist and forearm stretches during breaks at work or incorporating strengthening exercises into your existing workout routine can help ensure you stay on track.
Monitor your progress and adjust the exercises as needed. Regular check-ins with a healthcare professional can provide you with personalised advice and adjustments to your exercise regimen. This ensures that your efforts are effective and aligned with your recovery goals. If you need more guidance, make an appointment with our sports medicine physician, Dr Chiam, today.
