Firstly, do not get baffled with terms like Tennis elbow or Golfers elbow. It has nothing to do with the games. Someone just gave a creative name to these joint ailments.
Somebody who has not played tennis even once in their lifetime can also suffer from Tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow. Both tennis elbow and Golfer’s elbow occur due to repetitive arm and wrist motion. Before you go and get any random golfers elbow brace without understanding the core reason, let us talk about the basic differences between these two.
The primary difference between both of these injuries is the inflammation spots. Tennis elbow and Golfer’s elbow both are a type of epicondylitis. Epicondylitis is essentially inflammation caused in tender muscles attached to the elbow.
Tennis Elbow: What is it?
Lateral epicondylitis, majorly known as Tennis Elbow, is noticed mainly in adults between 30 and 50. This happens due to the overuse of muscle strain injury, which results in inflammation in the elbow’s outer region. Professionals like carpenter, painters, and plumbers are prone to tennis elbow due to repetitive elbow movement involved in their job. Some seasonal activities like woodcutting and gardening can also cause Tennis elbow.
Symptoms of Tennis Elbow
People suffering from Tennis elbow feel pain radiating from the outer portion of their elbow to their forearm and wrist. The pain can be constant or can also occur while performing a specific activity. While facing these issues, you need to visit a doctor and get your checkup done.
Golfer’s Elbow: What is it?
Medial epicondylitis, commonly known as Golfer’s Elbow, is a medical condition where the patient feels irritation on his/her inner portion of the arm and elbow. This happens when a person performs repetitive twisting and wrist flexing. Activities such as shoveling, playing tennis or golf, and even gardening require the repeated elbow and arm twisting, which leads to this condition.
Symptoms of Golfer’s Elbow
If you are feeling an acute pain in the elbow’s inner region while lifting the wrist or hand and twisting your forearm, this might be a severe symptom of Golfer’s elbow. You might also notice your wrist and arm becoming swollen. You can initially try using golfers elbow brace, but if you see this problem lasting for more than weeks, you should immediately consult a doctor.
Useful tips for treating Tennis and Golfer Elbow
- Your doctor might recommend a cortisone shot
- Many doctors suggest golfers elbow brace. The brace’s primary purpose is to redirect the pressure so that the injured muscles do not have to take any pressure.
- You can also go for surgery if the pain keeps increasing even after taking medicines for more than a year.
Conclusion
We always tend to gulp down random pain killers to get a temporary and immediate result. The painkilling ointment is another widely used option. But unless you know the root cause of the pain, you cannot eliminate it once and for all. To understand what exactly the problem is, going to see an orthopedic is the wisest thing you can do.
