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Tennis Elbow Pain -- Any Hints on Minimizing the Pain


Goldenhawk

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Due to my constant practicing at the range, I've started to get pain in my right elbow. Similar to tennis elbow pain. My doctor told me to limit shock and vibration associated with golf. I'm thinking that I need to start playing with graphite shafted irons instead of steel. Does anyone have other suggestions?

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I tried to switch to graphite but that did not help that much. I honestly put the clubs down for about 6-8 weeks along with ice and NSAID's and it got better. Still flairs up every once in a while. Also compression wrap might help.

Alan

Get an air cushion support to wear.like the kind you see people wear when they play tennis.I had the same thing and it went away after awhile and I did not stop playing.Obviously rest is the best :tsg_smilie_wink:

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I will add that you need to rest the elbow until the pain is gone first. Having some form of vibration dampening system. Some form of NSAID will help like ibuprofen or naprosyn. I would recommend some form of ionic bracelet. I have been using a Phiten bracelet and have not had a problem since I started wearing.

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You could look into a set of vibration inserts for your irons. I have heard that they will dampen vibration better than graphite shafts would and you will save a lot of money. I'm not sure if I can post the website on here, so if I'm in violation just delete it, but www.ostrichgolf.com has a great set of inserts that you can put into your shafts that would probably help some.

I would also agree with some mild pain relievers like advil or aleve before you start your round to keep the inflamation down as you play. That will help with the pain as well. Definitely take it easy if you start to hurt. I wouldn't force it if your in pain in the round. Just stop and call it a day.

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I struggled big time with tennis elbow a number of years ago when playing cricket. For me the solution was to rest it and then start to build up the muscles around the area to make it stronger. Since I did this, I've not had any trouble at all...

Every time i take the money off you in the car park, all i hear is ''If only my elbow wasn't sore!'' so are you saying this just a lame excuse????? :tsg_smiley_laughatyou: :tsg_smilie_whistle: :tsg_smiley_laughatyou:

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I will add that you need to rest the elbow until the pain is gone first. Having some form of vibration dampening system. Some form of NSAID will help like ibuprofen or naprosyn. I would recommend some form of ionic bracelet. I have been using a Phiten bracelet and have not had a problem since I started wearing.

I need to try this although what they tell me is tennis elbow is a traumatic injury rather than a repetitive use type injury. thanks doc!

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Every time i take the money off you in the car park, all i hear is ''If only my elbow wasn't sore!'' so are you saying this just a lame excuse????? :tsg_smiley_laughatyou: :tsg_smilie_whistle: :tsg_smiley_laughatyou:

Damn +1, that's harsh on the boy, LOL!

Seriously, tennis elbow (or lateral epicondylitis) is a condition when the outer part of the elbow becomes painful and tender, usually as a result of a specific strain, overuse, or a direct bang. Golf elbow (or medial epicondylitis) is to the opposite side or the inner side of the elbow.

For short term treatments, don't hit balls off of the mats and practice putting instead. In the morning, prior to getting out of bed, massage the elbow and then stretching the elbow by bending the extending the arm. Also, get small dixie cups, fill them with water and freeze them. Once frozen, you want to cut out the bottom and use the ice to massage the elbow in small circular motion. Iced no more than 10 to 15 minutes (you don't want to injure the nerve tissues). Over-the-counter pain medications such as Aleve, Advils, etc. are fine.

Seek medical treatment if the pain does not goes away within 3 to 5 days. You may need stronger medications. Cortisone/steroid should be the last resort since it masks the pain but not treating the injured area. Get an MRI to rule out tearing of the tissue where it connects to the joint.

If you cannot stand the idea of staying away from hitting balls ... then try equine linament, available at equestrian related stores. The stuff works but leaves a garlic taste therefore don't expect your golfing buddies to play with you!

Graphite shafts do not help if there is a flaw in the swing! I was out of golf for over 10 months the last two years combined because of the elbow problem.

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I'm hoping to get Ping to install the Cushin Insert into my G5's. That should help with vibration dampening. I'm also going to try the True Strike mat to see if that helps.

Has anyone tried a compression band around the lower portion of their elbow. I see tour pros using these wraps, and it may help.

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I'm hoping to get Ping to install the Cushin Insert into my G5's. That should help with vibration dampening. I'm also going to try the True Strike mat to see if that helps.

Has anyone tried a compression band around the lower portion of their elbow. I see tour pros using these wraps, and it may help.

I'll not swing the club without the compression band! Buy a few and leave one in the bag, in the car, etc.

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It is normally caused by trauma, not continued motion. The initial problem is an injury like hitting of hard pan, chunked, something where you put stress on the joint. This is then not allowed to properly heal because of continued use. It is easily aggravated by the golf swing. Tennis is the same as you put pressure on the joint by hitting the ball. Rest it, use medications to assist with decreasing the swelling, then work on muscle tone to help prevent it. The ion bracelet might be a placebo effect, but I have one and continue to wear it without problems.

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It is normally caused by trauma, not continued motion. The initial problem is an injury like hitting of hard pan, chunked, something where you put stress on the joint. This is then not allowed to properly heal because of continued use. It is easily aggravated by the golf swing. Tennis is the same as you put pressure on the joint by hitting the ball. Rest it, use medications to assist with decreasing the swelling, then work on muscle tone to help prevent it. The ion bracelet might be a placebo effect, but I have one and continue to wear it without problems.

My error, thanks for the correction Doc...my elbow's been swollen for over a year after I squeezed a piece of lumber I was sawing too tightly so it didn't slide off the sawhorse. Diclofenac has helped the pain most of the time but PT and 2 cortisone shots have done nothing for the swelling. Must be time for another visit to see what's up with it.

As for placebo effect it really doesn't matter, as long as it works. Even placebo's improve conditions in some people on a regular basis.

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I don't know if this will cure you but it did for me within weeks.

I got tennis elbow and it lasted for almost a year. To the point I would avoid the range before the round, afraid that I would chunk once or twice on the mat or grass and ruin my entire round.

Annoyed the hell out of me and I kept thinking this is the end of any sport for me. I was suggested by my doctor to wear a brace but that did not help much and it is so uncomfortable.

One day I happened to make a complain about my tennis elbow to my sister's friend, who is a fanatic rock climber, and he made a suggestion to me.

this crazed rock climber told me that most rock climber get the same pain when they first started and there is a way to fix it. He told me that the muscle on top, which run the above your forearm(the one that get expose to the sun the most) from your elbow to your hand need to be strenghten. everyone play tennis or some sort of sport. which use your arms develope real strong muscle on the bottom of your forearm more, which in turn tend to pull the top muscles. Rock climber use their hand to grab on to rock and pull themself up or hanging with one arm, alot so the muscle on top of the forearm need lot of strength.

-he showed me an excercise where I would sit with my forearm rest on my lap and hand stick out from my knee, with palm down. Holding a small weight in my hand I would do lifting excercise with just using my wrist, and palm pointing down ward. The motion would be raising knuckle up and down.

-another excercise would be stand with both arms in full extension in front of you, palm down. using a stick with small rope tie to the middle of it with a small weight at the end, about 4 ft. Both hand holding the stick, palm down, using your wrists, twist the stick to reel in the weight up from the floor.

all these excercise only need to be done about 10 minutes a day, unless you want to be Poppey the Sailor man arm.

I used both techniqus for a couple weeks, I can feel the muscle on top of my forearm strenghten dramatically and the dam tennis elbow disappear. I wished I know this before, I would not give up tennis so early. I had picked up tennis again and golf has been more fun.

I had recommendate to a few of my golfer buddies and it work for them also.

I hope this help.

Edited by jt916
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Hawk,

make sure you keep me update if the excercise works for you. Use really light weight so to have more reps. I am crossing my fingers for you man!

I started doing the excercises this morning. A little lingering pain since it feels that I'm working muscles that don't get a workout. I'll give it a week of working out before I go back out and hit some balls.

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Due to my constant practicing at the range, I've started to get pain in my right elbow. Similar to tennis elbow pain. My doctor told me to limit shock and vibration associated with golf. I'm thinking that I need to start playing with graphite shafted irons instead of steel. Does anyone have other suggestions?

get a endocotylitis strap from any good physio = highly recomended and reasonably cheap at around £25

use it for play and practise =

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Hawk,

make sure you keep me update if the excercise works for you. Use really light weight so to have more reps. I am crossing my fingers for you man!

The excercises are working!! I have actually used steel shafted irons this morning and hit 100 range balls. 50 on the mat and 50 on frozen ground. No pain in the elbow. Just some teeth chattering from thin hits.

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  • 5 weeks later...
Due to my constant practicing at the range, I've started to get pain in my right elbow. Similar to tennis elbow pain. My doctor told me to limit shock and vibration associated with golf. I'm thinking that I need to start playing with graphite shafted irons instead of steel. Does anyone have other suggestions?

A couple of years ago I had both Elbow and Wrist pains. The elbow part started from practising this move of pulling the left elbow down hard and releasing on the down swing which was great as I was hitting the driver a country mile and then wrist pains came. I laid off hitting balls for a couple of weeks and got back in the gym with some weight training. Never had it since then. You might want to try it.

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