Tennis or Golfers Elbow Treatment- Orthopedics, Physical Medicine And Rehabilitation

An orthopedic surgeon is the medical specialist who will provide treatment for tennis elbow and golfers elbow.

Golfers Elbow:

The medical terminology for this condition is medial epicondylitis. It is also known as golfer’s elbow, baseball elbow or suitcase elbow. In this condition, patients develop pain from the elbow to the wrist on the inside part which is also called as the medial part of the elbow.

Reasons for Developing Golfers Elbow:

Caused by use of excessive force to bend the wrist towards the palm which takes place while performing activities like swinging a golf club or throwing a baseball.

Symptoms of Golfers Elbow:

• Pain and tenderness which is felt on the inner side of the elbow (i.e the palm side). The pain might come suddenly or gradually and certain movements like swinging a golf club might worsen it.
• Weakness may be felt in the hands and wrists
• Stiffness in the elbow
• Numbness or tingling in the ring and little fingers

Treatment:

• Stopping the activity which produced the symptoms and giving rest to the elbow will help aid recovery
• Ice-packs to reduce inflammation
• Over the counter anti-inflammatory drugs
• Using elbow braces to provides extra support to the elbow and helps to relieve symptoms
• In some cases, doctors may give corticosteroid injections to reduce inflammation
• Surgery to remove the damaged tissue in case the above treatment options are not effective

 Outlook:

The prognosis for patients with golfer’s elbow is good. They usually have a full recovery and the chances of recovery if they stop the problematic activity (e.g. golf) as soon as the symptoms start to give adequate rest to the elbow.

Tennis Elbow

The medical term for this condition is lateral epicondylitis. Patients suffering from tennis elbow have pain or tenderness on the outside part of the elbow which is also called as the lateral part of the elbow. It is common in players who play tennis or other racket sports.

Symptoms:

Recurring pain on the outside of the elbow which can radiate to the forearm and back of the hand. The pain can also be felt when lifting or bending the arm.

Treatment:

• Resting the affected arm is very important
• Anti-inflammatory drugs, applying ice packs may help
• Physical therapy is advised for tennis players to strengthen shoulder, upper arm and abdominal muscles
• If symptoms are very painful, a steroid injection is recommended
• Surgery may be required to remove the damaged part of the tendon and relieve the pain other treatments do not resolve the symptoms. Close to 95 percent of the patients do not require surgery

To learn more about Tennis or Golfers Elbow Treatment, please check our blog on GOLFER'S ELBOW: CAUSES, SYMPTOMS, DIAGNOSIS, AND TREATMENT.

To learn more about Tennis or Golfers Elbow Treatment, please check our blog on TENNIS ELBOW (LATERAL EPICONDYLITIS): SYMPTOMS, CAUSES, AND TREATMENT.

References:

• https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/orthopaedic_disorders/medial_epicondylitis_golfers_and_baseball_elbow_85,P00928
• https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/golfers-elbow/symptoms-causes/syc-20372868
• https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320949.php
• https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/175848.php

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