Brief overview
- Treatment: Including immobilization, painkillers, bandage, stretching exercises and surgery
- Symptoms: Pain on the inside of the elbow, feeling of weakness in the wrist
- Causes and risk factors: Overloading of the tendon insertion of certain muscles in the elbow area
- Diagnosis: Doctor-patient consultation, physical examination, provocation tests, etc.
- Course of the disease and prognosis: Usually good
What is golfer’s elbow?
Generally speaking, epicondylitis is a pain syndrome on the outside or inside of the elbow. It is triggered by painful changes in certain tendon insertions.
If the inside of the elbow is affected, it is referred to as golfer’s elbow or golfer’s elbow (epicondylitis humeri ulnaris, also epicondylitis humeri medialis). Pain syndrome on the outside of the elbow, on the other hand, is known as tennis elbow or tennis elbow. It is also possible for golfer’s elbow and tennis elbow to occur at the same time.
Golfer’s elbow is most common in people in their fourth decade of life. Overall, however, golfer’s elbow occurs much less frequently than tennis elbow.
What can be done about golfer’s elbow?
As golfer’s elbow and tennis elbow have similar causes and symptoms, doctors treat them very similarly.
Rest, cold or heat
Painkillers
If necessary, painkillers can be used, for example pain gels applied externally. You can apply these yourself at home in consultation with your doctor to treat your golfer’s elbow. In more severe cases, patients often take painkillers in tablet form. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and painkillers such as diclofenac are used.
Bandages and tape therapy
If the symptoms are severe, it may be advisable to wear a golfer’s arm support. These are available from sports stores or medical supply stores. The aim of the golfer’s arm support is to relieve the muscles.
It is also possible to tape the golfer’s elbow. The so-called kinesiotapes relieve the discomfort in many cases and can be applied by a physiotherapist.
Anti-inflammatory or anaesthetic medication
Some doctors treat golfer’s elbow (like tennis elbow) with injections containing anti-inflammatory cortisone or a local anaesthetic. They often offer other treatments such as shock wave therapy, massages or acupuncture. However, their effectiveness for golfer’s elbow has not usually been scientifically proven.
Stretching and strengthening exercises
Surgery
The last treatment option is surgery. However, this is only considered in severe cases of golf elbow if the symptoms do not improve with other treatments even after months or years. The procedure relieves the tissue by removing a few millimetres of the tendon origin. In most cases, the patient is symptom-free again after the healing phase.
How long you are off sick or on sick leave in the case of golfer’s elbow varies from person to person and depends, among other things, on the healing process.
Golfer’s elbow: symptoms
The typical symptoms of golfer’s elbow are pain on the inside of the elbow, especially when bending the wrist. The area above the insertion of the affected tendons is also painful.
Most sufferers also experience a feeling of weakness in the wrist. It is therefore hardly possible to grip forcefully.
Causes and risk factors
As with tennis elbow, the cause of golfer’s elbow is overloading of the tendon insertion of certain muscles in the elbow area. This is the insertion of the common end tendon of the hand and finger flexors. In tennis elbow, on the other hand, the tendon insertion of the hand and finger extensors is affected.
It often affects manual workers who have to repeatedly perform monotonous movements with their elbows (painting, hammering, etc.). For the same reason, computer work, playing a musical instrument and certain household tasks (such as ironing) also cause golfer’s elbow.
Examination and diagnosis
If there are signs of golfer’s elbow, it is advisable to consult a general practitioner or an orthopaedic specialist.
Doctor-patient consultation
The doctor will first ask you about your medical history (anamnesis). He will ask you questions such as
- Where exactly do you have pain? Does the pain radiate into the forearm or upper arm?
- Does the pain occur at rest or only during movement (e.g. when closing your fist)?
- Does the arm or hand feel weak due to the pain?
- Have you injured your arm recently or a long time ago, for example as a result of a fall?
- Have you ever had pain in your arm for no apparent reason?
- What is your profession? Do you play any sport?
Physical examination and tests
The medical history interview is followed by a physical examination. The doctor will examine the aching arm, check its mobility and palpate it. Golfer’s elbow is typically characterized by pressure pain over the tendon insertion of the hand and finger flexors on the inside of the elbow.
Further examinations
The medical history interview, physical examination and tests are usually sufficient to make a diagnosis of golfer’s elbow. The doctor generally only carries out further examinations if he suspects another cause of the symptoms. For example, painful wear and tear (osteoarthritis) in the elbow joint can be detected on an X-ray.
Golfer’s elbow: progression and prognosis
The prognosis for golfer’s elbow is generally good. In most cases, the symptoms disappear on their own after a few months without any major treatment. Some patients are pain-free again after just a few weeks.
However, there is a risk of relapse if the activity causing the pain is not avoided after the acute symptoms have subsided.
