Golfer's Elbow - Medial Epicondylitis

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farsteve
farsteve Posts: 157 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Anyone have any non-traditional solution/cure/exercises for golfer's elbow?

I have been to the doctor and have been going to a physical therapist for about 6 months, do my drills religiously and while the condition has gotten better, it is still sore and limits me in the gym, in some life activities too.

I was hoping that someone had found an alternative medicine/method that goes beyond traditional science. Acupuncture, black magic, voodoo, sacrifices to some unnamed pagan demon of human physiology, balms/rubs/ointments???

Thanks in advance for reading and/or commenting.

Steve aka farsteve

Replies

  • Mouse_Potato
    Mouse_Potato Posts: 1,495 Member
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    I take anti-inflammatories. Meloxicam, to be precise. They help, but nothing actually cures it. I've been dealing with it for over three years now. I am starting to think it's just a permanent thing for me. Rest does not help. I haven't tried sacrificing anything yet. :wink:
  • 80sSynthwave
    80sSynthwave Posts: 25 Member
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    I had a problem with this, then watched a good ole jeff cavaliere video about. I hyperextended (think that's the term) my hands back a little when doing pull exercises and after a few weeks, it completely went away and I went back to a more proper, straight grip.
  • farsteve
    farsteve Posts: 157 Member
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    Thanks mates! I do an occasional anti-inflammatory and I know about Jeff Cavaliere. I'll find this video.
  • Keladelphia
    Keladelphia Posts: 820 Member
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    Though certainly not a cure, Kwan Loong Oil is my magic balm/rub. It definitely helped with pain relief when my tennis elbow was acting up, i'm assuming it could help with golfers elbow as well. I use it on my knees all of the time during and after training. It's also a bonus that it helps my migraines on the rare occasion I get one if I put a little on my temples. ( https://www.amazon.com/KWAN-LOONG-Medicated-Relief-Family/dp/B00T6BWTXA) I've had great success with Acupuncture for back pain (especially when my psoas was acting up) but i've never tried it for golfers elbow or tennis elbow.
  • puffbrat
    puffbrat Posts: 2,806 Member
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    What has the doctor and pt actually done or had you do for this? Usually the first recommended treatment is rest for a couple of weeks possibly coupled with a daily anti-inflammatory during that time.
  • Phirrgus
    Phirrgus Posts: 1,894 Member
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    I've been doing zottman curls at the suggestion of a friend for about two months now, and have seen more progress than with a years worth of PT. I use very light weight (10lbs per arm) and keep it slow. I'm about ready to throw my thera bar in the trash.

    On YT though, most videos I've seen show a stop at the top. I keep a full fluid motion going throughout the rotation. YMMV of course, but the range of motion mimics some of the motion with the thera bar that my PT had me doing, and the weight be be the added factor that helps. That stretch just feels fantastic after dealing with this for so long.

  • farsteve
    farsteve Posts: 157 Member
    edited March 2019
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    puffbrat wrote: »
    What has the doctor and pt actually done or had you do for this? Usually the first recommended treatment is rest for a couple of weeks possibly coupled with a daily anti-inflammatory during that time.

    Wrist curls, bicep curls, massage, ultrasound, and something I can't think of right now. Similar to a tens unit but it drives anti-inflammatory med through the joint with a mild electrical current. It's a use-once disposable device and I simply can't remember what it's called. I look tonight and post it up.
  • farsteve
    farsteve Posts: 157 Member
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    Keladelphia wrote: »
    Though certainly not a cure, Kwan Loong Oil is my magic balm/rub. It definitely helped with pain relief when my tennis elbow was acting up, i'm assuming it could help with golfers elbow as well. I use it on my knees all of the time during and after training. It's also a bonus that it helps my migraines on the rare occasion I get one if I put a little on my temples. ( https://www.amazon.com/KWAN-LOONG-Medicated-Relief-Family/dp/B00T6BWTXA) I've had great success with Acupuncture for back pain (especially when my psoas was acting up) but i've never tried it for golfers elbow or tennis elbow.

    I may give this a try however, I have tried just every balm out there.

  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    edited March 2019
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    Utilizing proper load management with patience will work.

    While massage & ultrasound might feel good, they do not fix the problem.

    NSAIDS are a bandaid and might be useful temporarily in a couple conditions such as lifting with RA, but they are not a fix by any means. I would not recommend for most people.

    If you squat (particularly low bar), I would look at grip/hand and well as bar positioning as this tends to solve the issue.

    Once again practice good load management and things will get better eventually.
  • shaumom
    shaumom Posts: 1,003 Member
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    rest and anti-inflammatories helped mine (both medicinal AND adding a lot of anti-inflammatory foods to my diet). But...just in case this ends up relevant...what really helped me was finding out I had an undiagnosed condition that was causing excess inflammation. Taking care of that was what really helped tremendously.

    I've met a surprising number of people who have golfers elbow, tennis elbow, or carpal tunnel who ended up finding out they had an underlying condition that was causing extra inflammation and making the condition worse. Mine turned out to be celiac disease, where I had no gut symptoms for years.

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