Rehab for Golfer’s Elbow Pain

What is medial epicondylitis (golfer’s elbow)?

Golfer’s elbow, otherwise known as medial epicondylitis, is a condition characterized by swelling and inflammation in the tendons around the inside of the elbow. Tendons are what connect muscle to bone and can become painfully inflamed when subjected to stress or overuse, which causes micro-tears and damage to the tendon’s tissue. Golfer’s elbow pain is often felt as an aching or burning pain along the inside of the elbow and front portion of the forearm (your wrist flexors). Other symptoms include weak grip strength, pain when lifting even very light objects, or other issues related to your elbow or hand. 

What are some common symptoms of golfer’s elbow?

Symptoms can include pain around the inside of the elbow or down the forearm, even extending to the wrist. They can also include stiffness of the elbow and/or wrist, weakness in the elbow, wrist, or hand, and difficulty with gripping, and occasionally numbness and tingling. 

What’s the main cause of epicondylitis?

Despite its name, golfer’s elbow does not always come from playing golf. The reason people typically get medial epicondylitis, or golfer’s elbow, is from repetitive stress or movement to the wrist flexors and elbow. This could include hobbies such as golf, tennis, gardening, computer work or texting. This often affects people with jobs that require repetitive movements, such as massage therapists, carpenters or people who spend a lot of time at their computer. 

Golfer’s elbow can be caused by improper form with repetitive activity or weakness around the wrist or elbow. If you are concerned that you have golfer’s elbow or are experiencing any pain in your medial elbow, contact Release Physical Therapy today and your therapist can do a thorough evaluation to determine your strength, stability, range of motion, posture and more to identify the cause of your symptoms and help you work towards reducing your pain and returning to pain free function as well as prevent future pain or re-injury. 

Does physical therapy help golfer’s elbow?

Of course! Physical Therapy should be the first thing you turn to if you’re experiencing golfer’s elbow or medial elbow pain. Your therapist at Release Physical Therapy is an expert in the elbow and can do a full examination and determine an individualized plan of care just for you and your goals. They can use a combination of manual therapy techniques including deep tissue mobilization, dry needling, and joint mobilization to improve blood flow to the tendons to allow nutrients essential to healing. Additionally, they can use other modalities such as shockwave therapy, Graston technique, or laser therapy to promote blood flow and healing to the tissue in addition to their manual therapy skills. If you are concerned about your medial elbow pain, contact Release Physical Therapy today to schedule your evaluation and get started on your path to recovery, prevent reinjury, and better your health.

Is it okay to lift weights with golfer’s elbow?

Yes, but you may need to do some modification of activity if you are suffering from golfer’s elbow. If you have concerns about your elbow pain and your lifting routine, contact Release Physical Therapy today to set up an evaluation and your expert physical therapist can guide you in what you should and should not be doing related to your pain to reduce pain, improve function and prevent re-injury.

How to Know When to Start Epicondylitis Physical Therapy

Immediately! Anytime you are experiencing pain in your elbow, you should get an evaluation from a physical therapist. At Release Physical Therapy, we are experts in the musculoskeletal system, and in Washington D.C., we have direct access and you can see a physical therapist before you see your doctor. Physical therapy is the best place to start your treatment, so don’t wait, get started today.

What can I do to improve the effectiveness of physical therapy for golfer’s elbow?

Based on your initial evaluation, your therapist at Release PT can better guide you in what can be done outside of your physical therapy sessions to make your treatment more effective. Sometimes this includes activity modification, like limiting time gardening, texting on your phone or using your computer. Other times this includes a wrist guard or compression sleeve to help reduce the stress on the tendons. Often this includes stretches or exercises that you can do outside of your PT sessions that will improve your symptoms and reduce the tension. 

What are some common physical therapy exercises to do for epicondylitis?

Everybody and every injury is different, so it is difficult to recommend the right exercises for you without a thorough evaluation. Different exercises have different goals: are you looking to strengthen your muscles? Or are you looking to ease tension in tight muscles? Every patient has a different reason for their injury, which is why at Release Physical Therapy we work with patients one-on-one for the entire session to better target out therapies to address their specific needs. Your therapist at Release PT can guide you on the best exercises that are individualized just for you.

How long does it take for golfer’s elbow to completely heal?

The answer is anywhere from several weeks to several months. The length of time required to treat medial epicondylitis, or golfer’s elbow, depends on the nature of the injury and the goals of the patient.

At Release Physical Therapy, we provide intensive 55-minute sessions designed to optimize recovery time without compromising on the quality of care. These sessions allow ample time for different therapeutic techniques best suited for the patient’s condition and are always tailored to the individual’s unique needs and circumstances. Commitment outside of the therapy session also plays a large role in recovery. Following the prescribed at-home exercises and care can significantly accelerate healing and improve long-term outcomes.

Your therapist will be able to give you a better answer on the frequency and duration of treatment after your initial consult, so if you are experiencing elbow pain, reach out to Release Physical Therapy to schedule an evaluation and get started today.