Golfer's elbow

With golfer’s elbow, you get pain on the inside of your elbow that may be painful to the touch. The pain is often located just below where the elbow bends but can extend down the forearm into the wrist. People have difficulty with twisting or gripping activities such as opening jars, or as the name suggests - playing golf. There may also be difficulty in straightening the affected elbow first thing in the morning.

It is really important when suffering from golfer's elbow to rest the elbow as soon as you start developing any pain because the more the elbow is used, the longer it will take to improve. This means it is important to stretch and warm up properly before exercise, and when you are using your equipment make sure it is the right equipment, with the right grip and support so that it reduces the load on your elbow. Your elbow can also be supported by ensuring you are lifting through stable wrists. You can try simple exercises to strengthen the muscles in your forearm, so they are better prepared to absorb any physical stress.

Once the pain is beginning to subside, it is important to gradually return to your activity, and be careful not to overuse your elbow.

Using ice to reduce any inflammation and then adding over-the-counter painkillers such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen can be very helpful. Physiotherapy is very useful to help strengthen the muscles and improve the range of pain-free movement around the elbow. You can also try an elbow brace from a trusted supplier to help reduce strain on your elbow. 

Steroid injections have little place in long-term improvement of golfer's elbow but may provide some short-term benefit. If the problem persists for more than several months and all other treatment options have failed, your doctor may refer you to a bone and joint doctor called an orthopedic surgeon, who may consider surgical options.

Golfer’s elbow will usually improve with rest and some self-treatment over a few weeks but can also take many months to totally resolve. In some chronic cases, it can take years and cause ongoing symptoms on and off.