Does Golfers Elbow Ever Go Away? Yes, but…

• If you’re wondering if Golfer’s elbow ever goes away, according to the Mayo Clinic, in most cases, symptoms resolve with self-care and physical therapy and no further treatment is needed
• One of the best treatments is to use the Flexbar and these exercises
• Golfer’s elbow is a condition that affects the muscles and tendons in the inner arm, often due to overuse
• Self-care measures such as ice packs, anti-inflammatory medication, and rest can help relieve symptoms
• Physical therapy may also be recommended to help strengthen and stretch the muscles and tendons

My golfing buddy, let’s call him John, has been dealing with golfer’s elbow for what seems like forever.

He first noticed the pain and tenderness on the inner part of his elbow a few months ago and it’s been getting worse ever since.

The pain extends down the inside of his forearm and makes it difficult to grip the club tightly. He’s tried taking ibuprofen and using an ice pack, but nothing seems to help.

John is frustrated and worried that he might never be able to play golf again without feeling this intense pain. He’s even started to doubt whether or not he wants to keep playing golf at all if this is going to be the kind of thing that keeps happening.

He’s seen a few doctors, but they all just tell him the same thing: “give it time, the pain will go away.”

He did start using the Flexbar, however, and that has helped a little bit. The Flexbar is a device that you grip and then twist in order to exercise the muscles in your forearm.

It’s not the most fun thing in the world, but it seems to be helping John slowly build some of the strength in his elbow and forearm and dissipate the pain a bit.

It’s been a long and difficult journey for John, but he’s finally starting to see some progress.

The pain is slowly subsiding and he’s regaining some of the strength in his elbow and forearm. He’s hopeful that one day soon he’ll be able to play golf again without pain and frustration.

Though it might take some time, John is determined to get his golfer’s elbow under control.

So Does Golfer’s Elbow Ever Go Away?

Golfer’s elbow, also known as medial epicondylitis, is a medical condition that causes pain and inflammation in the tendons that are connected between the forearm and the elbow.

This form of tendonitis centers on the bony hump located inside the elbow and shoots straight into the forearm. This condition isn’t as common as tennis elbow and the symptoms are different.

The tennis elbow has damage to the tendons on the outside as opposed to the inside. Both of these conditions, however, are treatable and they do go away.

The pain from the golfer’s elbow can either come suddenly or as a prolonged process. The most common symptoms associated with a golfer’s elbow include fingers feeling either numb or tingly, as well as signs of weakness in the hands and wrist. The elbow feeling sensitive or stiff is also common.

What typically causes the golfer’s elbow comes from overusing the muscles in the forearm. Each time you grip, your forearm is put to work. This is also true when you rotate your arm and flex your wrist.

The wear and tear of these actions can cause pulls and/or tiny tears in the tendons.

And no, you don’t have to be a golfer to experience this medical condition. Anybody who uses their hand, forearm, and wrist in repetitive motion is just as vulnerable to experiencing a golfer’s elbow as players of the sport.

Any physical activity that requires extensive arm movement shares the exact same dynamic that can lead to a golfer’s elbow. When the range of motion isn’t exercised in a manner that’s not better coordinated, this can lead to the potential of injury.

It doesn’t matter if you’re an athlete or taking on a personal task that puts your forearm to work.

Treating Golfer’s Elbow

The question of the day is whether or not the golfer’s elbow ever goes away. The answer is yes. Although it doesn’t require any special medical treatment to get rid of it you can speed it up by allowing the injury to rest.

Applying ice to the elbow for about fifteen minutes per day at least three times a day will also help.

If you really want to go with an anti-inflammatory drug you can take aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen to help reduce the pain and swelling. Topical medications have also been known to help.

In worst-case scenarios, there are also injections of a corticosteroid or painkiller straight into the elbow. It may or may not relieve the pain and swelling as a short-term solution.

Normally, the golfer’s elbow goes away within a matter of weeks. However, there have been extreme cases where surgery is required when the pain refuses to go away after at least three months.

Should this be the case, the procedure involves the removal of damaged tendon parts. The goal here is to promote healing and reduce pain and inflammation. On average, it takes about three to six months to recover after surgery.

Preventing Golfer’s Elbow

The best way to avoid a golfer’s elbow is to avoid overuse. Should you feel any pain in the elbow while in the middle of doing something, don’t push your luck. Stop and allow the elbow to receive the rest it deserves.

Ideally, you should engage in stretching and strengthening exercises to help build the elbow’s resilience. This is also helpful when you do experience a golfer’s elbow. Although resting is important, so is regular exercise.

Like any other part of the body, when joints and muscles engage in a healthy amount of activity this keeps you healthy. Furthermore, if you’ve previously experienced a golfer’s elbow the best exercise methods should take place while the muscles are relaxed.

When you try to engage in physical activity when the muscle feels tight you are making yourself prone to injury. Stretching exercises is the best method to use as this relaxes the muscle and lets you move about more freely.

In fact, it has been a recommendation before hitting the greens, or engaging in any form of physical activity for that matter, to take at least five minutes of your time to stretch your muscles. Think about the logic here for a moment.

Normally, when you get up in the morning, what is the first thing your body wants to do? The majority of the time, both animals and human beings will have a good stretch before doing anything else. It’s as if the body itself is already telling you what you need to do in order to function.