“Golfer’s Elbow” or medial epicondylitis
Medial epicondylitis is an inflammation of the tendons of the flexor muscles of the wrist and fingers and the pronator muscle, i.e. a tendinopathy of the muscles attached to the medial epicondyle, which is located on the inside of the elbow.
Causes
Despite the name “golfer’s elbow”, this pathology also affects other sports characterised by excessive, repetitive forearm pronation and wrist flexion movements (e.g. weightlifting and javelin throwing). In professional golfers, the pathology is more common at the beginning of the season due to a sudden increase in the number of strokes. In amateur golfers, it is more common due to poor technique during the swing, with the shot being taken later.
It is also a very common pathology in people who work with a computer, keyboard and mouse, due to the repeated flexing movements of the wrist and fingers.
Symptoms
Clinically, a patient may present with pain and swelling on the inner surface of the elbow, aggravated by flexion of the wrist with active pronation of the elbow.
Conservative treatment should include:
- Discontinuation of the sporting activity;
- Cryotherapy in the first few days;
- Taping of the muscle insertion into the medial epicondyle and/or application of kinesiotape to the injured muscles.
The first step for treatment involves an assessment carried out by a physician. Com Corpus has a large clinical team to ensure proper communication between the physician and the physiotherapist who will treat you. You will need to make a physical and rehabilitation medicine appointment with one of our physiatrists for physiotherapy sessions at Com Corpus.
In physiotherapy, treatment should be based on relieving the symptoms, gaining muscle strength to prevent relapses, and returning to activity. Firstly:
- Deep transverse friction massage of the medial epicondyle;
- Relaxation massage of the periarticular muscles;
- Isometric and eccentric muscle strengthening of the wrist flexors and elbow pronators;
- Elongation of the above muscles.
After this phase, overall strengthening of the entire upper limb on the injured side (not forgetting the uninjured side), should be incorporated into the treatment.
At the end of physiotherapy, exercises should be carried out to simulate the technical gesture of the injury, in order to bring it as close as possible to the patient’s activity before they are discharged.
If you need treatment for “Golfer’s Elbow” or medial epicondylitis, contact our physiotherapy clinics in Lisbon.
