Medial epicondylitis, or golfer's elbow, can occur after repetitive strain on the tendons attaching to the inner side of the elbow, leading to inflammation and irritation. Golfer's elbow commonly occurs in people who engage in activities involving repetitive wrist and forearm movements, causing pain and discomfort in the affected area.
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Golfer's elbow is a painful overuse injury that causes inflammation of the muscle on the inside of the elbow.
The pain from golfer's elbow runs from the bony point of your elbow into your forearm.
Putting too much stress on your muscles, joints, or other tissues without allowing them to recover can cause golfer's elbow.
Although it's one of the more common golf injuries, it doesn't only happen to golfers. Activities that include repetitive forearm movement — such using a screwdriver or painting — can also cause golfer's elbow.
People at risk for golfer's elbow include those who:
To help prevent golfer’s elbow:
Common symptoms of golfer’s elbow include:
Golfer's elbow symptoms can come on all at once or slowly over time.
You may notice that the pain gets worse when you swing a golf club.
Other things that might cause golfer's elbow pain include:
There is no one test to diagnose golfer's elbow.
To help confirm a golfer's elbow diagnosis, your doctor will:
If your doctor sees signs of a more serious elbow injury, like a fracture, he or she may perform an x-ray.
To treat golfer's elbow, you need to give the joint time to rest and recover. The sooner you take it easy, the sooner you will be able to return to activity.
Avoiding treatment can lead to long-term pain and stiffness of the joint.
UPMC Sports Medicine suggests the following treatments for golfer’s elbow:
