Update on my golfers elbow

[yellowboy]

Just wanted to share my golfers elbow update. (Left elbow, right handed golfer)

I have had this since September of last year. Did the ice, rest, PT thing and did not play for 6 months over the winter it never went away. I got 2 shots, both lasted only 5-6 weeks.

As for my current activity, the orthopedic doctor I am seeing said "do whatever you want, my experience is that you won't make it worse"  so I play 2-3 times a week  --- I do wear a band when golfing or doing anything that puts strain on the arm.

It gets more sore a day or two after playing, then settles down again.It has actually not gotten any worse than it was in the middle of my layoff.

At my last visit he told me it will likely not go away, so plan on getting surgery when I want to end my golfing season.

I am planning on it in September.

[inthehole]

my wife has this issue - a nagging elbow pain.     Always gets worse after playing golf or tennis.      Its affected her game - she intentionally tries to not take divots because that ground impact interaction seems to make it worse.    Nothing good to say about golfers elbow ...

[yellowboy]

Wanted to add that sometimes it's worse in the morning when I wake up, even after doing nothing the day before.

The doctor gave me a wrist brace to wear at night as he said the position of the wrist at night while sleeping can aggravate the elbow. ( I take the elbow band off at night)

I know when I forget to wear the wrist brace  it definitely feels worse in the morning.

[BVAI777]

I also suffer from golfers elbow in my right arm, what really bothers my arm the worst is my right hand will start to go numb while playing a round of golf... I have my Dr give me a Hydrocortisone shot once every two months and I take 800 mg of Ibuprofen... I also ware one of the many magnets sold for your wrist on my right arm... Doing those three things I do seem to prevent my golfers elbow from flaring up, you can also not swinging a golf club or playing for a few weeks and see if that helps...

Bryan

[yellowboy]

Thanks, but laying off for 6 months gave me no relief, and am not much worse pain-wise after playing for the last 2 1/2 months about 3 times a week. I did up my dosage of Naproxen to the max however - two 500 mg. a day.

I tend to be impatient, and after reading  posts where some people have taken a year off I figure I can have the surgery and be back playing in less time than that.

My doctor is the one that recommended that I wait until the end of summer so I could get some golf in,  and use the lousy #%& @!! Pennsylvania winter to use up some of the downtime after surgery.

[Hammer 4]

Golfers elbow, tennis elbow, ect..I think is all the same, it's bone spurs in your, and mine elbows. I asked my doctor about 5 yrs ago how to eliminate it, Surgery is the only way. I'm also a righty, but my left elbow is the one that hurts. I also wear a band, it helps, but I still get some decent pain after hitting balls.

The surgery requires a 6 week down time, and when I was working, I could not afford to be off work that long w/o pay, now I just live with the pain.

[BVAI777]

I was actually told by my doctor that it has to do with pronation... I have never heard of bone spurs being the cause, but I am interested in finding out more about what you have learned...

Bryan

[Hammer 4]

I was actually told by my doctor that it has to do with pronation... I have never heard of bone spurs being the cause, but I am interested in finding out more about what you have learned...

Bryan

Also use to play tennis...5 to 6 times a week, and I was a carpenter/ contractor for many years, and both my right and left elbows hurt, but at different times. Anyway, when I saw the doc. he said I had tiny bone fragments floating around my elbow, which is causing the pain, and only surgery could correct it. May not be the same as what you have, and maybe if he/she hasn't already, your doc could explain it more in detail.

I would say this, if your still young, and do not want to continue to put up with the pain, I would opt for surgery. Being I'm 66, I'll just live with my bone spurs and grit my teeth so to speak..lol

Hope it all works out well for you..

[yellowboy]

My understanding is that it can be bone spurs, scar tissue, damaged tendon or a combination of the three. Sometimes grinding the bone down is necessary.

There are surgery videos of the procedure on you tube, not a real simple (looking) procedure to say the least.

I'll know more when I go under the knife ,I am planning on September.

Maybe someone who has had it done can chime in on recovery, amount of time before you can play again, etc.

[BVAI777]

Thank you, and I have no need for surgery the shots and ibuprofen seems to get the job done...

Bryan

[Hammer 4]

Thank you, and I have no need for surgery the shots and ibuprofen seems to get the job done...

Bryan

Bryan, be careful about taking ibuprofen, taken over long periods can have an adverse effect on your kidneys..I know this from past experience. If you have to take it, take with food, and consult your doctor..Often.

[BVAI777]

Thanks for the info, I take prescription strength and my Dr prescribes it to me as needed... I only take it if I have a flare up...

Bryan

[vangator]

I have posted this on other threads. I have both tennis elbow and golfers elbow in both arms. It was so bad that I was taking 800 IU of Ibuprofen with minimal effect. The pain is vey distracting to the golf swing to say the least. While searching the web to find some type of typical pain killer, I happened across CTCream. It relieves the pain and reduces the inflamation that causes the pain. After a few weeks of use, the pain is essentially gone. I still use the cream periodically since the repeated motion will caue the pain to flare up again if not kept in check. A jar of CTCream Plus costs just $11.99. It will last for weeks (even months). I keep a jar on my work computer and home computer. I've been essentially pain free for years. Try it. Rub just a dab where you feel the pain. It takes a little while but it works. I've recommended this to dozens of people. Let me know if it helps. The CT in CTCream stands for Carpal Tunnel which is the inflamation of the wrist tendon. Works wonders there too. I avoid surgery at all costs. I've heard horror stories from botched operations.

[SCC4380]

I was in physical therapy for my shoulders a few months ago. Talking with the the folks there I found that they have found Astym to be very effective for golfers elbow. (You can read about it here: http://www.astym.com/Patients). I have golfers elbow and my forearms are so tight that my massage therapist couldn't get them to loosen up at all. The PT did a few Astym sessions and it made a big difference with my golfers elbow and the tightness in my forearms. I would try Astym (or perhaps one of the other soft tissue mobilization techniques) before surgery. You could get two treatments a week and be done with a normal course of treatment in 6 weeks or so. The best part is that you don't have to stop playing golf or anything else during the treatment period.

[ev780]

Informal Poll.  How many of you that suffer, hit off of mats rather than grass?  I have a hypothesis.

I had it bad for a year to year and 1/2.  It would abate quite a bit after I got going but mornings and warm ups were absolute hell.  Like most I got injected and 6 weeks later no change.  Tried dry needle trigger point stuff and all that did was make me cry.  (yes sensitive guy lol)   It won't get much worse as your docs and mine said, so I just played on through it.  I did change a few things.  I added a cool down phase and some ice after play and practice and used a t or avoided the mats as much as possible.  It just went away.  Like I said it took almost 18 months but now it seems fine.

[Hammer 4]

With the bone spurs in my elbow, doesn't matter if I hit off grass, or mats, if I hit it fat, PAIN!..A month ago I bought an air-cast for my left arm, it's placed just below the elbow, and that seems to help some. My only other option is surgery.

[yellowboy]

Thanks folks, I may try the cream, nothing to lose since I am not going in to get cut until September.

I taty away from mats since I had this issue, but rarely hit on them prior to the problem.

[vangator]

Try the cream and hopefully you won't need the knife.