Has anyone had this and what did you do? I went to a sports doctor and he gave me a wrist hand thing to wear when I go to bed at night as when I wake up through the night my hand is always numb, I totally forgot to ask for a cortisone shot. He also showed me some exercises to do.
GOLFER'S ELBOW
- Thread starter annie2867
- Start date
As a physical therapist and athletic trainer, I have come across more than a few people with tennis elbow and golfer's elbow. Both are the same type of condition--epicondylitis/tendonitis. The pain from golfer's elbow occurs on the inside of the joint, while the pain from tennis elbow occurs on the outside of the joint.
Both are forms of overuse injuries. The problem occurs when the muscles that flex or extend the wrist and fingers don't have the strength or endurance to maintain wrist stability during the sport. The musculotendinous junction and/or the attachment site and underlying bursae will get irritated and swell, hurting like heck and making wrist and elbow motion difficult.
Like most overuse injuries, RICE is the treatment of choice until the pain and inflammation dies down. After this, stretching, strengthening and soft tissue mobilization will help prevent a recurrence.
Good luck!
Maribeth
Both are forms of overuse injuries. The problem occurs when the muscles that flex or extend the wrist and fingers don't have the strength or endurance to maintain wrist stability during the sport. The musculotendinous junction and/or the attachment site and underlying bursae will get irritated and swell, hurting like heck and making wrist and elbow motion difficult.
Like most overuse injuries, RICE is the treatment of choice until the pain and inflammation dies down. After this, stretching, strengthening and soft tissue mobilization will help prevent a recurrence.
Good luck!
Maribeth
kathryn
Cathlete
Maribeth,
So does this mean that if you keep your wrists stable during exercises like tricep kickbacks (what are some other exercises that could bring on tennis/golfers elbow?) you can avoid this? A couple of years ago, I had problems with tennis elbow (which, for me, was "overly-enthusiastic with the weighted gloves a couple of days in a row while boxing" elbow, but tennis elbow is shorter
) and that same elbow is feeling a bit sore lately, so I'd like to nip any problem in the bud).
By the way, I'm always on the lookout for some good strength-training books that emphasize safety and effectiveness (like Douglas Brooks, for example). Have any suggestions for my summer reading? :7
So does this mean that if you keep your wrists stable during exercises like tricep kickbacks (what are some other exercises that could bring on tennis/golfers elbow?) you can avoid this? A couple of years ago, I had problems with tennis elbow (which, for me, was "overly-enthusiastic with the weighted gloves a couple of days in a row while boxing" elbow, but tennis elbow is shorter
) and that same elbow is feeling a bit sore lately, so I'd like to nip any problem in the bud).By the way, I'm always on the lookout for some good strength-training books that emphasize safety and effectiveness (like Douglas Brooks, for example). Have any suggestions for my summer reading? :7
My doctor also suggested purchaseing some weight lifting gloves that have gel in them and wrist straps that you wrap around. I got a pair from Oshmans last Saturday, they were originally $34.00 and I got them on sale for $10.00 that was a nice suprise.
Maribeth, I know you suggested RICE, but I've had this elbow for about a year so I think I'm beyond that. Sometimes it hurts on the outside and the inside, but mainly the inside. Right now I am giving myself a break from the weights, it really only hurts when I do bicep work. Well...I did do Cathe's Kickbox tape this morning and I could feel it a bit after that, I think it is the clenching of the fists that aggravates it. Any more suggestions would be welcome.
Thanks.
Maribeth, I know you suggested RICE, but I've had this elbow for about a year so I think I'm beyond that. Sometimes it hurts on the outside and the inside, but mainly the inside. Right now I am giving myself a break from the weights, it really only hurts when I do bicep work. Well...I did do Cathe's Kickbox tape this morning and I could feel it a bit after that, I think it is the clenching of the fists that aggravates it. Any more suggestions would be welcome.
Thanks.
I know that a problem may appear chronic, but there are what is known as acute exacerbations of chronic problems, ie, flare ups. In these cases, you have to treat the "chronic" problem as you would a new injury--RICE.
It is the contractions of the wrist and long finger flexors that are causing the problem. These muscles contract when you make a fist, flex your wrist AND they assist when you flex your elbow. You may have to take a few days off all exercise that involves resisted finger, wrist and elbow flexion, ice the area and stretch the muscles.
It is also very likely that since the problem has been going on for so long, you have scar tissue and adhesions that will need to be broken up via manual therapy. If you can, find a sports/ortho physical therapist or athletic trainer for treatment.
Good luck!
Maribeth
It is the contractions of the wrist and long finger flexors that are causing the problem. These muscles contract when you make a fist, flex your wrist AND they assist when you flex your elbow. You may have to take a few days off all exercise that involves resisted finger, wrist and elbow flexion, ice the area and stretch the muscles.
It is also very likely that since the problem has been going on for so long, you have scar tissue and adhesions that will need to be broken up via manual therapy. If you can, find a sports/ortho physical therapist or athletic trainer for treatment.
Good luck!
Maribeth
Maribeth,
This is a topic that interests me as well. I am the Program Manager for a corporate fitness center where many employees are either plagued with carpal tunnel or golfers/tennis elbow, or want to prevent development of the problems.
I am considering holding weekly 15 minute stretch breaks to strengthen and stretch the forearm musculature. Is there a specfic set/rep scheme you recommend for this area in terms of strengthening?
By the way, thanks for the recommendation of kinesiology books last year. I have read a lot since then and attended several workshops on the subject. It's a fascinating field and gratifying to have sound answers to questions based on human movement when members (especially the bodybuilder types) try to challenge my reasons for choosing certain exercises.
Keep sharing your knowledge with us! I will end with a question that Kathryn and I were discussing in the Ask Cathe section. In one of Cathe's videos, she does a shoulder extension exercise where you flex forward at the hip with arms straight down by the sides and then extend the arms straight back. Many people were feeling this in their triceps versus rear deltoid. With the elbows straight, the triceps are on full contraction - correct? So would bending the elbows a bit help take some tension off the triceps allowing for more concentration of shoulder extension? And, since the triceps cross the shoulder and elbow joint, wouldn't they contribute to shoulder extension, thereby not being able to fully eliminate them from this particular exercise? The triceps primary function is extension at the elbow joint, but what exactly is their role at the shoulder?
Sorry this is long. I love your postings!
-Roe
This is a topic that interests me as well. I am the Program Manager for a corporate fitness center where many employees are either plagued with carpal tunnel or golfers/tennis elbow, or want to prevent development of the problems.
I am considering holding weekly 15 minute stretch breaks to strengthen and stretch the forearm musculature. Is there a specfic set/rep scheme you recommend for this area in terms of strengthening?
By the way, thanks for the recommendation of kinesiology books last year. I have read a lot since then and attended several workshops on the subject. It's a fascinating field and gratifying to have sound answers to questions based on human movement when members (especially the bodybuilder types) try to challenge my reasons for choosing certain exercises.
Keep sharing your knowledge with us! I will end with a question that Kathryn and I were discussing in the Ask Cathe section. In one of Cathe's videos, she does a shoulder extension exercise where you flex forward at the hip with arms straight down by the sides and then extend the arms straight back. Many people were feeling this in their triceps versus rear deltoid. With the elbows straight, the triceps are on full contraction - correct? So would bending the elbows a bit help take some tension off the triceps allowing for more concentration of shoulder extension? And, since the triceps cross the shoulder and elbow joint, wouldn't they contribute to shoulder extension, thereby not being able to fully eliminate them from this particular exercise? The triceps primary function is extension at the elbow joint, but what exactly is their role at the shoulder?
Sorry this is long. I love your postings!
-Roe
>I know that a problem may appear chronic, but there are what
>is known as acute exacerbations of chronic problems, ie, flare
>ups. In these cases, you have to treat the "chronic" problem
>as you would a new injury--RICE.
>
>It is the contractions of the wrist and long finger flexors
>that are causing the problem. These muscles contract when you
>make a fist, flex your wrist AND they assist when you flex
>your elbow. You may have to take a few days off all exercise
>that involves resisted finger, wrist and elbow flexion, ice
>the area and stretch the muscles.
>
>It is also very likely that since the problem has been going
>on for so long, you have scar tissue and adhesions that will
>need to be broken up via manual therapy. If you can, find a
>sports/ortho physical therapist or athletic trainer for
>treatment.
>
>Good luck!
>Maribeth
>is known as acute exacerbations of chronic problems, ie, flare
>ups. In these cases, you have to treat the "chronic" problem
>as you would a new injury--RICE.
>
>It is the contractions of the wrist and long finger flexors
>that are causing the problem. These muscles contract when you
>make a fist, flex your wrist AND they assist when you flex
>your elbow. You may have to take a few days off all exercise
>that involves resisted finger, wrist and elbow flexion, ice
>the area and stretch the muscles.
>
>It is also very likely that since the problem has been going
>on for so long, you have scar tissue and adhesions that will
>need to be broken up via manual therapy. If you can, find a
>sports/ortho physical therapist or athletic trainer for
>treatment.
>
>Good luck!
>Maribeth