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Golfer's Elbow is for Massage Therapists too. Yay!

Share the love tennis players, massage therapists, weight lifters, violinists, bikers, and computer users, because golfer’s elbow is for EVERYONE!

YAY!

Here’s are a few common questions that you may have:

How can I get golfer’s elbow!?

Golfer’s elbow is a pain in the ass. Frustrating too because it will get worst if you keep stressing it.

Here’s the scoop: anyone who clenches their fingers while repeatedly bending their wrists can get golfer’s elbow, also known as medial epicondylitis. This is located on the INSIDE of your elbow. Overuse of the muscles in this area makes all this magic happen.

How will I know I have it?
Glad you asked that! The inner side of your elbow hurts, but it can extend down to your forearm too. You may have numbness or tingling in your elbow and weakness in your hands. Your elbow may feel stiff or hurt when you make a fist. One way to tell is if you pick up a mug of coffee and it hurts your elbow.

Booooo, I don’t want golfer’s elbow anymore. What do I do?

Ice and rest, baby! They are your new best friends. As a matter of fact, they will be your ONLY friends because you may be doing this for a while!

Further, resting your arm can take several days, depending on how bad it is. Remember that you need to take care of yourself. I know its hard to take time off when you are a massage therapist, so the best course of action is to avoid getting it all together!

FYI, if ice or rest do not work, if you can’t bend your elbow, if it feels hot, or if you have a fever, you should see a doctor.

Golfer’s elbow sounds horrible. How do I prevent it??
Yes, grasshopper. It IS horrible.

1) STRENGTHEN your forearm muscles. Make sure you get some guidance on how to do this properly so you don’t hurt yourself. If your forearms are weak, and you overwork them, they can tear at the weakest point which is at the epicondyle. The micro tears in this area is what causes the pain!

2) STRETCH your forearms muscles. Here are some great stretch show at the left. If you use your hands and wrists a lot during the day, it’s a good idea to make this stretch part of your daily routine! I like to do this in between massages.

It’s funny how we often forget to practice what we preach, myself included, but I’m amazed at how many people take stretching for granted. Simple stretching can prevent SO many injuries in SO many areas of your body. We THINK we are strong until that one day we do ONE too many massages, and then we can’t do it for a week. Raise your hand if this has happened to you.

3) MASSAGE your forearms muscles, both the extensors and flexors. Flexibility is KING! Watch the video below to see a demonstration of some massages you can do to yourself. I do these all the time. If you have pain in your elbow already, be gentle with yourself, and be mindful to not make the problem worse!

Is it the same as tennis elbow?
Nope. Tennis elbow is injury on the OUTside of the elbow as oppposed to golfer’s elbow, which is on the inside. (FYI, Golfer’s Elbow is also called Pitcher’s Elbow, Little League Elbow or Climber’s Elbow.)

Golfer's Elbow is for Massage Therapists too. Yay!

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