Is Pain, Inflammation or Muscle Tightness Stopping You From Your Next Game of Tennis or Golf?
The term “Golfers Elbow“ describes pain at the medial (inside) elbow where the wrist flexors tendons insert and “Tennis Elbow“ is just the opposite with pain at the lateral (outside) elbow where the wrist extensors insert. Because of the amount of strain and repetitive movements associated with golf and tennis, your muscles and tendons become over-worked, increase in tone and develop microscopic tears.
The degree of muscle activation that is required for golf is comparable to sports like football, hockey and martial arts, the only difference is that these athletes make strength training a part of their program and golfers not as much. Most golf and tennis elbow, wrist injuries and back injuries can be prevented with corrective massage techniques, proper rest, stretching and some strength training focusing on the trunk and abdominal muscles.
What causes Golf and Tennis elbow injuries?
- Overuse or repetitive stress, using your muscles over and over without proper strengthening and stretching can lead to RSI injuries.
- Poor posture, golf is scored on having a low handicap, in order to be a low handicapper, you need to be consistent, strong and stable in your golf swing.
- Poor flexibility, when your body is out of balance certain muscles tend to shorten and become tight (tonic), while other muscles tend to lengthen and become weak (phasic). To have a balanced swing, you must understand how this dysfunctional pattern works.
- Poor mobility and stability, just as you cannot expect to fire a cannon from a canoe with any accuracy, you cannot expect to drive a golf ball on a platform that is unstable or with poor mobility.
Without addressing the issues of strength, posture, and flexibility, your chances of playing golf or tennis will be hindered not to mention that your daily activities can also be affected. Golf and tennis elbow injuries can be very painful to your wrists and forearms making it very difficult doing your daily activities such; as brushing your teeth, twisting a jar or even holding a pencil or pen in your hand.
Massage and Soft Tissue Strategies
Tight, inflexible muscle tissues, inflammation and scar tissue are the primary reasons for tennis or golfers elbow. But these muscles can be expertly softened, gain more flexibility, break up their adhesions and scar tissue buildup. Trigger point therapy and cross-fiber friction massage techniques will be used on the insertion points of the flexor or extensor muscles of your forearm, this will allow less restriction and increased range of motion for your working muscles.
This will prevent:
- Muscle imbalances – weak and tight muscles
- Impaired or improper movement patterns because of pain
- Altered joint movement and altered proprioception
- Chronic pain
Losing Golf and Tennis bets! Your body will feel so good that, you will win those bets with your buddies.
After your massage session, we may also recommend some stretching and strengthening exercises for your forearms, hips, legs and low back.
Golf is a rotational (twisting) sport that requires a strong grip and this cannot happen with muscle imbalances. Let our therapists help to assure that you adequate supination, pronation, flexon and extension of your wrists and forearms.
Other Treatments
- Rest! Give your body a chance to heal naturally. Take 2 weeks off and immediately start a strengthening/stretching program.
- Ultrasound and cold laser therapy treatments can speed up the healing process.
- Take an anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen.
I do not play tennis nor golf yet I developed these 2 on both arms. Graphic design was and is the culprit. Include 12 hrs 7 days a week of drawing in the computer (not necessarily typing). Unfortunately I could not get enough REST! Thank you for the post.