Get Golf Fit!
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- By Jane Kircaldie, PT, TPI Certified Golf Fitness Instructor,
Medical Professional 2, Fitness Professional 2
M
ost people naturally assume tennis players suffer from “tennis elbow” and golfers
suffer from “golfers elbow”, but let’s bust this myth by truly asking, which is the
more prevalent golf related elbow injury? Of course you’ve caught on and know the
answer is tennis elbow, but did you know it’s occurrence outweighs golfers elbow by a ratio of
5:1?
For many, this injury, which is actually a tendonitis on the outside portion of the elbow,
can be the nagging, frustrating, and longstanding type that makes one feel as if the pain may
never go away. Taking a break from golf seems like the obvious, but unfortunate solution, yet
with a short golfing season in Connecticut, it’s naturally the least favored option.
So, let’s turn this cycle around, discuss how the injury may have started, how to get it
better and how to prevent it from reoccurring.
It is important to note that the injury usually occurs on the lead arm, the arm that is
drawing the club through impact - left elbow for a right handed golfer and right elbow for a left
handed golfer. Therefore, the first step is to make an appointment with your favorite teaching
professional to determine if you are cupping the wrist at impact, tending to “chicken wing”
and/or coming over the top, which can also lead to the “chicken wing”.
All of these swing characteristics place the wrist in constant extension. Then add the
repetitive nature of golf, hitting ball after ball, hole after hole, round after round and these
muscles in the forearm will reach their breaking point. The muscles go into spasm, microtears
of the muscle belly occur, and tennis elbow will be the end result. So again, sign up for a full
swing analysis so your teaching pro can start addressing these swing characteristics and begin
fixing the root cause of the injury.
How do you start alleviating the pain immediately? After a round I highly recommend ice
therapy to reduce inflammation and numb the pain. Fill small paper cups with water, freeze,
unwrap the paper until the ice is just exposed, and rub directly on the tender area for 1-3
minutes.
Second, to relieve the muscle spasms, use a tennis ball, lacrosse ball or massage ball.
Rest your arm on a table and slowly roll the ball over the upper forearm. Gently and slowly is