Is the sport you love causing you pain? Understanding Tennis/Golfer’s Elbow

By: Dr. Neal Shuren

Tennis and golf are two of the most popular sports, especially amongst adults. As enjoyable as they are to play, overuse can lead to pain of the elbow, commonly called Tennis or Golfer’s Elbow. Both tennis and golfer’s elbow are very common and affect both men and women, mostly between the ages of 40 to 50 but can occur at any age. It can also arise from activities not related to sports, such as household chores or work that requires repetitive gripping, like painting, but can also occur form a traumatic injury, such as a blow to the elbow.

Symptoms 

Pain with activities such as lifting, gripping and grasping that starts in the elbow but often radiates down the forearm to the hand. 

Diagnosis and Treatment  

The diagnosis of tennis or golfer’s elbow is usually made clinically by a thorough history and physical examination by your doctor. Sometimes your doctor may order different images such as X-Rays or MRIs to rule out other conditions.

Prevention and Treatment

  • Activity Modification 

If the pain is from playing tennis or golf it is often recommended that you be evaluated by a tennis or golf professional to make sure you are using proper equipment and have proper technique. 

  • Rest & Ice

It may be necessary to stop the aggravating activity all together, for a period of time to allow the soft tissues to heal. Try to avoid heavy lifting, pushing, pulling or repeated hand shaking. Using two hands for heavier lifting can help protect the injured arm. Apply ice 2 to 3 times a day for 15 to 20 minutes at a time when the condition first starts or after actively using the arm to help diminish the inflammation.

  • Stretching 

Stretching can help with tendonitis by keeping muscles and tendons flexible and preventing stiffness. It can also help break down scar tissue that may have formed.

  • Physical/Occupational Therapy

Therapy can help in many ways. Initial treatment is aimed at diminishing inflammation and stiffness while subsequent treatment helps strengthen forearm muscles, which can help prevent future episodes from occurring.

  • Medications 

If there are no medical contra-indications, over-the-counter pain medication, like Advil, Aleve or aspirin, can be taken to help reduce inflammation and pain.

  • Bracing

The counter-force brace is a padded strap that can be worn on the forearm, just below the elbow. By putting gentle pressure on the muscles, tension is released on the tendon. Bracing can be used for treatment and can be used to prevent recurrence in the future by wearing for all activities that put a lot of stress on the arm.

  • Cortisone Injections

Cortisone injections usually reduce the pain in the arm for an extended period of time but do not always diminish the time it takes for the elbow to fully heal. 

  • Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)

PRP is a procedure where blood is withdrawn and then is processed to concentrate the platelets so they can be re-injected into the area of tendonitis. This procedure can usually be done in the office. This is a newer technique and research on this treatment modality continues.

  • Surgery

Surgery is the last resort. If conservative treatment fails and symptoms have been present for at least a year then surgery can relieve the pain. The aim of surgery is to remove degenerated or worn out tissue from the tendon and release tension on the tendon. Symptoms can take several months to fully resolve and a small percentage of people may still have some symptoms, even after surgery.

Prognosis 

Most cases of tennis and golfer’s elbow will resolve with conservative care but can take a long time to fully resolve.

If you have been suffering from symptoms of golf or tennis elbow, schedule a consultation with one of our talented physicians for an evaluation and treatment plan.