Elbow Pain

[Joe Butter]

Just had my elbow scoped for debris after fighting pain n tendonitis for years. 80 plus rounds/year and working have taken its toll. Any success stories out there? 

[1puttit]

So golfer's elbow (inside/forearm part of elbow) or tennis elbow (outside/pointy side of elbow)? I have had some of each over the years. First thing is to stop hitting off mats if possible. Those will destroy your joints if you hit off of them long enough. There are some high end mats out there that don't have that issue but you won't find them at your local range. 

I've had a lot of success with the TheraBand FlexBar and no longer have any elbow pain. Get the Red (light) and Green (medium) bars. Do the Tyler Twist for Tennis elbow and the  Reverse Tyler Twist for golfer's elbow. Start with the Red bar and work your way up to the green. Good luck!

 

Edited January 5, 2020 by 1puttit
added instruction

[HonestyPolicy]

There is nothing wrong with this guys elbows or wrists but....

I know a guy who doesn't bend his elbows when he swings and doesn't bend his wrists either, well noticeably anyway. He turns at the waist and gets the club to about waist high on the back swing and again waist high on the follow through. He's not long bu the never mishits the ball and his short game is spectacular.....he's about a 10 handicap. He's amazing to watch and amazing to play with, but I'd do the Theraband thing before I'd go that extreme.

[Nave]

I recently encountered golf elbow discomfort coupled with Myofascial trigger points—tense knots from shoulder to elbow, nestled amid biceps and triceps. These knots seemingly impeded movement and possibly affected nerves and ligaments.

Seeking relief, I underwent deep tissue massage with a focus on these knots, leading my elbow pain to vanish. Evidently, these trigger points constrained mobility and impacted nearby nerves/ligaments. This highlighted myofascial trigger points' significance, causing chronic pain, limited motion, referred pain, and even autonomic dysfunction.

Quick note: After the focused massage, I was in so much pain for a week. More so than with a regular deep tissue massage. My trigger points were apparently stone hard.

Edited August 9, 2023 by Nave

[JetFan1983]

11 hours ago, Nave said:

I recently encountered golf elbow discomfort coupled with Myofascial trigger points—tense knots from shoulder to elbow, nestled amid biceps and triceps. These knots seemingly impeded movement and possibly affected nerves and ligaments.

Seeking relief, I underwent deep tissue massage with a focus on these knots, leading my elbow pain to vanish. Evidently, these trigger points constrained mobility and impacted nearby nerves/ligaments. This highlighted myofascial trigger points' significance, causing chronic pain, limited motion, referred pain, and even autonomic dysfunction.

Quick note: After the focused massage, I was in so much pain for a week. More so than with a regular deep tissue massage. My trigger points were apparently stone hard.

Sounds about right.

---

I've been finally correctly treating left elbow pain that I've had since about the Spring/Summer of 2011. The doctors and therapists I saw during the years of 2011-2017 really screwed me with bad information, but now I'm seeing the right DPT and we're fixing this finally. I didn't bother treating this during 2017-2022 because I stopped golfing entirely and the elbow became mostly asymptomatic, so I thought it had healed. In January of this year, it flared up again (returned to golf in June 2022),  but this time I chose the correct treatment for me.

Back then the treatment plan was rest, ice, anti-inflammatories and that did nothing to resolve it. It would always come back. I legit rested for like six years during my shoulder pain days and even that didn't heal it. 

The current treatment plan is this:

1) Blood Flow Restriction Therapy with aggressive strengthening. The flex bars aren't even strong enough to change the fibers in my elbow. I'm doing legit 10 and 15 pound wrist curls, 30 rep military push-ups, and tons of pronation/supination/radial/ulnar workouts with the club. I still workout regularly too outside of all this.

2) Dry needling. This is arguably the most important treatment. My DPT literally takes the needle and pecks at the origin site of the lateral epicondyle. It's incredibly painful, but this is like a controlled trauma that gets the site to actually heal. I've had 29 needle treatments so far. The needle work has also removed numerous chronic trigger points in my lead forearm as well. These trigger points were so bad even my massage gun or any kind of massage in general could not change them. When massage fails, throw dry needles at the problem!

3) Scraping/graston/gua sha - Scraping the crap out of my elbow with a metal tool has helped remodel the tendon fibers too. This isn't as effective now as it was a few months ago, but it still helps a ton and I still do it like 3-4 times a week. 

 

I started home treatment on January 27. Then I started real treatment with my awesome DPT March 7. I still go twice a week there as the job isn't done, but I started hitting range balls again a couple weeks ago, so it's getting better. I figure it will probably eventually heal in the next 2-3 months as long as I stay the course, but it's strong enough to start reintroducing near full swings now. 

I also eat healthy, sleep healthy and take tons of supplements to help this heal faster, but really the BFR, dry needling and scraping have been the MVP in all this. 

Collagen supplements, weak ass wrist curls, the flex bar... my shit was so bad I doubt these things did anything. If I stuck to home treatment, I was never healing this IMO. I still take collagen supplements though, plus vitamin D, omega 3 etc. just because who knows. 

Also I regularly massage gun/massage the arm just to prevent new knots and what not from forming, and that helps a ton. I wish I treated this properly from day one, then I could've avoided this. Just make sure the area is strong and don't let chronic knots form in there and you should be okay, but if not, get some dry needles in there IMO. Sometimes this happens just from getting older and loving the game of golf.

Some additional good news as well: my left arm is insanely strong now after all these months of treatment. Really excited to get back to golf as my ability to pronate/supinate has improved dramatically. I can palmar flex my lead wrist more effortlessly, and my radial/ulnar strength is way better too.

[ChetlovesMer]

I had some pretty bad tendinitis about a year ago. I found simple stretching everyday, plus this video pretty much cured me. 

I do this and simple wrist stretches before and after workouts and/or range sessions and I'm pain free these days. 

[Carl3]

I used to suffer from tennis elbow on my right (trail) arm. It was exasperated while on vacation and hitting a large bucket off range balls a mat. I read that this can be due to flipping the wrists, which I was prone to do.

Avoid spending a lot of time hitting off mats and overcome flipping may help.

[Nave]

Thank you @JetFan1983 @ChetlovesMer @Carl3 for sharing these incredibly captivating insights that have offered a wealth of perspectives. I want to especially acknowledge the comprehensive breakdown provided by @JetFan1983 – a journey imbued with immensely valuable insights.

Over the past three weeks, I've taken a hiatus from golf and instead embarked on a routine of muscle exercises. These exercises are complemented by regular massage gun sessions and utilization of my consumer-level electronic pull massager. While the electric massage brings about immediate relief, regrettably, the discomfort resurfaces relatively swiftly.

Contemplating a return to incorporating light swimming exercises into my regimen, I'm reminded of how swimming has previously played a pivotal role in expediting my shoulder recovery.

[Timbro]

On 8/9/2023 at 8:22 PM, JetFan1983 said:

Sounds about right.

---

I've been finally correctly treating left elbow pain that I've had since about the Spring/Summer of 2011. The doctors and therapists I saw during the years of 2011-2017 really screwed me with bad information, but now I'm seeing the right DPT and we're fixing this finally. I didn't bother treating this during 2017-2022 because I stopped golfing entirely and the elbow became mostly asymptomatic, so I thought it had healed. In January of this year, it flared up again (returned to golf in June 2022),  but this time I chose the correct treatment for me.

Back then the treatment plan was rest, ice, anti-inflammatories and that did nothing to resolve it. It would always come back. I legit rested for like six years during my shoulder pain days and even that didn't heal it. 

The current treatment plan is this:

1) Blood Flow Restriction Therapy with aggressive strengthening. The flex bars aren't even strong enough to change the fibers in my elbow. I'm doing legit 10 and 15 pound wrist curls, 30 rep military push-ups, and tons of pronation/supination/radial/ulnar workouts with the club. I still workout regularly too outside of all this.

2) Dry needling. This is arguably the most important treatment. My DPT literally takes the needle and pecks at the origin site of the lateral epicondyle. It's incredibly painful, but this is like a controlled trauma that gets the site to actually heal. I've had 29 needle treatments so far. The needle work has also removed numerous chronic trigger points in my lead forearm as well. These trigger points were so bad even my massage gun or any kind of massage in general could not change them. When massage fails, throw dry needles at the problem!

3) Scraping/graston/gua sha - Scraping the crap out of my elbow with a metal tool has helped remodel the tendon fibers too. This isn't as effective now as it was a few months ago, but it still helps a ton and I still do it like 3-4 times a week. 

 

I started home treatment on January 27. Then I started real treatment with my awesome DPT March 7. I still go twice a week there as the job isn't done, but I started hitting range balls again a couple weeks ago, so it's getting better. I figure it will probably eventually heal in the next 2-3 months as long as I stay the course, but it's strong enough to start reintroducing near full swings now. 

I also eat healthy, sleep healthy and take tons of supplements to help this heal faster, but really the BFR, dry needling and scraping have been the MVP in all this. 

Collagen supplements, weak ass wrist curls, the flex bar... my shit was so bad I doubt these things did anything. If I stuck to home treatment, I was never healing this IMO. I still take collagen supplements though, plus vitamin D, omega 3 etc. just because who knows. 

Also I regularly massage gun/massage the arm just to prevent new knots and what not from forming, and that helps a ton. I wish I treated this properly from day one, then I could've avoided this. Just make sure the area is strong and don't let chronic knots form in there and you should be okay, but if not, get some dry needles in there IMO. Sometimes this happens just from getting older and loving the game of golf.

Some additional good news as well: my left arm is insanely strong now after all these months of treatment. Really excited to get back to golf as my ability to pronate/supinate has improved dramatically. I can palmar flex my lead wrist more effortlessly, and my radial/ulnar strength is way better too.
Going to be getting into running too(active recovery), even picked up a fresh pair of mens hoka shoes!

Dry needling is a game changer, agree(even though pain can be pretty intense sometimes) - I 15 sessions on each knee( my tendons never were really good there, but after like 25 it got REALLY bad). Worked like a charm, I'm 2 years pain free now. Collagen sups are helpful, esp if you don't consume enough with the food.

[TN94z]

On 8/11/2023 at 11:24 PM, Nave said:

Contemplating a return to incorporating light swimming exercises into my regimen, I'm reminded of how swimming has previously played a pivotal role in expediting my shoulder recovery.

I started swimming earlier this year for a CrossFit competition and found it very humbling for someone that thought he was in shape. I plan on continuing this as my main form of exercise. I do see how swimming could aid in joint recovery. Having said that, most swimmers I talk to have told me that you have to be careful with volume too as it can actually cause shoulder problems. Now, I'm sure their experiences come from swimming competitively for hours a day. I guess the main take away is just be mindful of weekly volume. I have had shoulder pain for a while now. We will see if swimming helps it or not.

10 hours ago, Timbro said:

Dry needling is a game changer, agree(even though pain can be pretty intense sometimes) - I 15 sessions on each knee( my tendons never were really good there, but after like 25 it got REALLY bad). Worked like a charm, I'm 2 years pain free now. Collagen sups are helpful, esp if you don't consume enough with the food.

Are you referring to the patellar tendon? I have had bad inflammation since late last year. I have tried stretching, less volume, diet change, and even taking a hiatus from working out completely and I still have it. It is probably one of the most painful things I have dealt with and that includes a torn meniscus currently.

 

Very good information in this post. I too have golfers elbow in both elbows. I notice it the most with any kind of pull-up style workout. I have tried several things myself with no success. The best exercise I did that seemed to help the most were zottman curls. I remember years ago, I also used floss bands and a lacrosse ball that seemed to help as well.

[Nave]

5 minutes ago, TN94z said:

Having said that, most swimmers I talk to have told me that you have to be careful with volume too as it can actually cause shoulder problems.

Initially, chest and freestyle swimming sessions were accompanied by sharp pain in my golf elbow, hindering my progress. Frustrated, I searched for a solution and found relief in backstroke swimming. Its motion alleviated the strain on my elbow, gradually diminishing the discomfort. To strike a balance, I restricted my swim sessions to a maximum of two per week, allowing my elbow adequate time to recover and adapt.

12 minutes ago, TN94z said:

Very good information in this post. I too have golfers elbow in both elbows.

This may not be for everyone - The most transformative solution I recently found was an original Thai deep tissue massage. The masseuse ingeniously used her body weight and a ceiling bar for balance, allowing her to apply targeted pressure with her feet on my arms, shoulders, and upper back. This technique seemed to guide my muscles away from the bone, addressing opposing muscle groups with remarkable precision. The result was astounding: for 3-5 days, I enjoyed a profound 90% reduction in pain from my previous constant discomfort. While some pain gradually returned after day 5, it prompted me to seek a follow-up massage to maintain the newfound relief.

[Timbro]

15 hours ago, TN94z said:

Are you referring to the patellar tendon? I have had bad inflammation since late last year. I have tried stretching, less volume, diet change, and even taking a hiatus from working out completely and I still have it. It is probably one of the most painful things I have dealt with and that includes a torn meniscus currently

Yep, my knee would get swollen badly at the start. Stretching and working on stability helped a bit at the beginning, but recovery was pretty slow and painful. Don't let it get worse if you can and see a doc. Took me around 7 months to fully recover. Pain can be pretty intense too, especially at the part that is closer to knee cap...

[TN94z]

4 hours ago, Timbro said:

Yep, my knee would get swollen badly at the start. Stretching and working on stability helped a bit at the beginning, but recovery was pretty slow and painful. Don't let it get worse if you can and see a doc. Took me around 7 months to fully recover. Pain can be pretty intense too, especially at the part that is closer to knee cap...

I worked on isometric exercises that helped quite a bit. Knees over toes stuff is pretty good as well. Cross friction massage while pulling the knee cap back some also helped. But it keeps coming back. My problem has been consistently doing these things. I tend to work on it consistently until the pain is gone and then I stop and it comes back. I just need to get into a maintenance routine. When I say that I still have it (from my post above), it is mainly because of the lack of consistency. But I agree, if you do not do something about it, it just gets worse and worse.