Pain on the inside of the elbow? Is this Golfer's Elbow (Medial Epicondylitis)?

Are you having trouble doing even the simplest of everyday tasks because of pain on the inside of your elbow? Do you feel a sharp pain on the inside of your elbow when you try to open a water bottle, lift a cup of tea, or even open a door lock? You are not alone with this pain. Many people experience this discomfort. Today, let's talk about what causes it and what you can do about it.

What exactly is Golfer's Elbow?

Despite its name, "Golfer's Elbow," you don't have to play golf to get this condition. In fact, it's more common in people who don't play golf. It can happen to tennis players, carpenters, people who type on a computer all day, people who lift heavy plates, or anyone who uses their wrists and elbows in a repetitive motion.

Simply put, Golfer's Elbow is a condition medically known as Medial Epicondylitis . This is when the tendons that connect the muscles in your forearm to the bone on the inside of your elbow become damaged, causing swelling or inflammation.

Imagine that you are constantly bending your arm, gripping something tightly, or twisting your arm. What happens is that these tendons accumulate tiny strains. Just like when you keep bending a rope in the same place, the strands gradually break. These tiny strains accumulate over time and symptoms like pain and swelling appear.

If left untreated, long-term problems such as decreased elbow flexion and extension, chronic pain, and decreased grip strength can occur.

What are the symptoms of this condition?

Golfer's Elbow symptoms don't appear all at once. They develop gradually over weeks, sometimes months. You may first notice a slight soreness on the inside of your elbow. This pain may be worse first thing in the morning.

This condition usually affects your dominant arm . For example, a right-handed person is more likely to experience this pain in the right elbow.

What are the risk factors that contribute to this development?

Some people are more likely to develop this condition than others. There are several risk factors that can affect it.

How does a doctor recognize this?

When you go to see a doctor, he will first ask you questions. He will ask you about your job, hobbies, and what makes your pain worse.

Then, your hand will be examined.

• He feels exactly where the pain is in his elbow.
• They will move your arm in different positions, bend it, and stretch it to see if it causes pain.
• They check whether pain occurs when the wrist is bent downward and resisted.

Most of the time, this condition can be diagnosed by a physical examination. However, sometimes, if there is a suspicion that there is another cause for the pain (such as a fracture or arthritis), your doctor may refer you for further testing.

• X-ray: To check for any problems with the bones.
• Ultrasound or MRI scan: To clearly see the damage and swelling to the tendons.

What are the treatments for this?

The good news is that most people can recover from this condition without surgery. The main goal of treatment is to reduce pain, allow the tendon to heal, and prevent the condition from recurring.

Things to do first

1. Rest: This is the most important thing. You should definitely stay away from the work that causes pain for a while. If you continue to work without giving your hand a rest, the tendon will not heal. It is advisable to rest for at least 4-6 weeks.

2. Ice Application: Apply ice to the painful area for 15-20 minutes, 3-4 times a day. Do not apply the ice directly to the skin, wrap it in a thin cloth. This will reduce pain and swelling.

3. Painkillers: You can take anti-inflammatory medications like paracetamol or ibuprofen as directed by your doctor.

4. Wearing an elbow brace/strap: A special brace or counterforce strap can be worn across the forearm below the elbow. This helps reduce pressure on painful muscles and tendons.

Treatment if the condition does not improve

If the pain does not subside after a few weeks of the simple treatments mentioned above, your doctor will refer you to other treatments.

• Physical Therapy: This is a very important treatment. A physiotherapist will teach you stretching and strengthening exercises to help your forearm muscles heal faster. These exercises will help speed up the healing process of the tendon.
• Corticosteroid injections: If the pain and swelling are severe , your doctor may give you a steroid injection into the area of ​​pain for short-term relief.
• Other treatments: In some cases, modern treatments such as Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, Extracorporeal shock wave therapy, and Ultrasound-guided percutaneous tenotomy are used. These are performed by specialist doctors.
• Surgery: Surgery may be recommended in very rare cases, only if no other treatment has worked for 6-12 months.

When should I see a doctor? Should I go to the ETU?

Golfer's Elbow is not usually a condition that requires emergency treatment. However, some symptoms can be a sign of a more serious problem, so it's important to know the difference.

How to protect yourself from this situation?

"Prevention is better than cure," they say. So there are several things you can do to prevent Golfer's Elbow from occurring.

• Warm-up before exercise or work: Before doing any heavy-duty work or sports, do some stretching exercises to stretch the muscles in your wrist and forearm.
• Use proper technique: If you play sports, learn proper technique from a coach. If at work, use equipment ergonomically (e.g., the correct computer mouse, keyboard).
• Strengthen the muscles: Do exercises that strengthen the muscles in your forehead. You can seek advice from a physical therapist about this.
• Take breaks during work: Instead of doing the same thing over and over again, take a short break at least once an hour and do some stretching exercises for your hands.
• Be careful when lifting: When lifting something, use your entire arm and body, not just your elbow.

Golfer's Elbow, Medial Epicondylitis, Elbow Pain, Hand Pain, Tendonitis, Sports Injuries, Elbow Injuries