Tennis and Golfer's Elbow

Common Upper Limb & Hand Conditions Tennis and Golfer’s Elbow

Ganglions De Quervain's Tenosynovitis Trigger Finger Dupuytren's Contracture Mucoid Cysts Tennis / Golfer's Elbow Carpal Bossing Giant Cell Tumours

Golfer’s elbow is the exact same pathology as tennis elbow, but occurs on the other side of the elbow where what is typically called the “funny bone” and involves the flexor tendon attachment on the medial side of the elbow. We generally treat this conservatively with cortisone injections and hardly ever so a surgical intervention for golfer’s elbow.

Golfer’s elbow is a type of tendonitis that results in inflammation and pain within the tendons that attach the forearm to the elbow. When Golfer’s elbow is left undiagnosed and untreated, the condition may worsen over time, leading to a poor grip, reduced flexibility of the elbow and chronic elbow pain. As a result, the pain from Golfer’s elbow may travel up and down the arm. The symptoms of the Golfer's elbow take weeks, sometimes months, to occur. Golfer’s elbow begins when pain develops inside the elbow that appears worse in the early morning.

Other common symptoms of Golfer’s elbow include the following:

  • Deepening pain in the wrist or forearm
  • Pain when making a fist
  • Reduced gripping action
  • A tingling sensation in the hand

Treatment

Dr Van Der Spuy will first recommend allowing the arm to rest. It’s advised that you allow the arm to rest for six weeks before putting further strain on the arm. He will first attempt treating the condition conservatively recommending consistent ice applications, anti-inflammatories, forearm bracing, night-time splinting and physical therapy.  

Chronic pain from Golfer’s elbow requires additional treatments such as the following:

  • Corticosteroids
  • Platelet-rich plasma injections

Fortunately, most patients with Golfer’s elbow recover well without the need for surgical intervention. When Golfer’s elbow is not treated  timeously, the condition can severely limit the range of motion of the elbow, and over time, chronic elbow pain can be debilitating.

It’s best to contact Dr Van Der Spuy when symptoms of Golfer’s elbow prolong even after conservative treatment of rest and rehabilitation.

It's important to consult with our qualified healthcare professionals to ensure the appropriate diagnosis and treatment plan for your specific situation.

Tennis Elbow

Golfer’s elbow