After a recent stint on the golf course, playing three rounds within two days, I battled through the last round with elbow pain. It lasted into the next day and then with adequate rest dissipated over the following two weeks or so. I do have some residual tenderness when massaging the forearm compared to the other side. Some are not so lucky and the problem can become persistent over weeks or months and impact on not just leisure but work and other tasks.
WHAT IS IT
Golfer's elbow refers to pain on the inside of the elbow, and is caused by excessive load within the wrist and finger flexor tendons. The more accurate term is medial epicondalgia. These tendons attach to the medial epicondyle of the elbow (bony prominence on the inside of the elbow), hence its name.
Golf is not always the cause, and anything involving repetitive wrist flexion and/or gripping could bring on symptoms. In my case, I had not played golf for at least six months, so that many shots played within two days was enough to set it off (not to mention likely poor technique a major contributor).
TREATING GOLFER'S ELBOW
In my case, avoiding golf for 2-3 weeks was enough to settle the pain. I have not tried to play since, so I have not tested whether this would flare up my pain or not. There are times when rest may be unavoidable, and in this situation treatment becomes more person specific. If the condition continues for more than a few days, hands on treatment and other techniques such as dry needling may be beneficial. If pain persists for weeks at a time, it is likely going to require a targeted, progressive strengthening and tendon loading exercise program to rebuild the load tolerance of the tendon.
If in doubt, or if pain lasts more than 2-3 days after onset, getting a diagnosis from your physio early and then prompt treatment is key to managing golfer's elbow.