Golf Elbow Pain And Tennis Elbow Pain Relief Treatment And Cure

Golf Elbow Pain and Tennis Elbow Pain Relief - Treatment And Cure

Elbow pain plagues many athletes. Frequently, this chronic elbow pain is due to repetitive stress of the joint. Like with carpale tunnel syndrome, many of the most often recommended treatments for this elbow pain are not wholly effective or have unwanted side effects. However, recently more treatment options have become available.




Golfers and tennis players especially, are susceptible to elbow pain conditions that are very similar to each other. These conditions are called golf elbow (or golfers elbow) and tennis elbow. They are frequently confused with each other. Although golf elbow and tennis elbow are similar, there are signs that can distinguish between the two.

Due to the amount of time spent using their arms, many golf and tennis players, especially those who play frequently, can suffer from one of these conditions. However anyone can get either of these conditions.


Tennis elbow is caused by the overuse of the muscles that pulls your hand in a backward motion. When you overwork these muscles they begin to swell and become sore from being inflamed. This results in elbow pain, which can become chronic if the cycle continues.

Golf elbow is basically the same but affects the inside of your arm instead of the outside.



Which Do You Have?



Golf Elbow

A good sign that you have golf elbow is if moving your elbow or trying to lift something upwards causes pain that runs from the inside of your elbow to the inside of your wrist. Golf elbow is seen more frequently because it affects the muscles on the inside of your arm which pulls the wrist in.



Golfers elbow can also be associated with neck pain. If you have not done anything to overwork your arm, the problem may be caused by a neck condition. An injury or a medical condition such as arthritis can also cause you to have this condition.



Tennis Elbow

You may be suffering from tennis elbow if you notice that trying to pick something up or simply just moving your elbow is painful. Tennis elbow affects the back side of your arm between your elbow and hand. This is the reason that trying to pick something up is painful.

So, if the outside of your elbow feels tender to the touch and you feel discomfort when picking up items with this hand, chances are good you have tennis elbow.

Knowing these signs can help you distinguish between the two conditions. However, consulting a medical professional for a proper diagnosis is always recommended.




Treatment Options



For both golf and tennis elbow, the treatment is generally rest, ice, compress and elevate, or R-I-C-E, along with taking some anti inflammatory medications. Sometimes surgery is recommended.

However, recently medical professionals have publicly recognized the effectiveness of acupuncture, massage, and physical therapy in reducing the pain and sometimes providing the cure for these conditions. In particular, several exercises have been proven extremely effective.

I personally had years of chronic elbow pain cured through a combination of acupuncture, massage and targeted exercise. Now I am able to play my favorite game without any pain at all. It took several months, but was ultimately quicker, less expensive, and arguably more effective than surgery or drugs.

I highly recommend exploring these alternatives, so you can get back to enjoying your life and your game.