Golfer’s and Tennis Elbow
Golfer’s/ Tennis elbow is a misleading name for this painful condition also know as medial or lateral epicondylitis. You don’t have to be a golfer, tennis player or even an athlete to experience pain and a reduced range of motions in your elbow. In reality, the inflammation of the muscles and ligaments in the elbow can be caused by everyday repetitive motions. In this article, we will show you how chiropractic care for golfer’s elbow can help you heal from this condition without painkillers.
What Causes Golfer’s Elbow?
Golfer’s elbow is the result of overuse of the muscles and ligaments in your elbow. If your job involves gripping and lifting weights (movers, factory workers, construction workers, etc) you may suffer from epicondylitis at some point. The intense physical effort over a long period of time will cause micro-tears in the muscles and tendons which generate inflammation. The tendons and muscles become stiff and eventually will turn into pain.
The RICE Method Is Not the Best Option
Before choosing chiropractic care for golfer’s elbow, many patients search online for simple home treatments. Inevitably, they learn about the RICE method: rest, ice, compress and elevate. In theory, by stopping all physical activity and applying cold, you reduce pain and allow the inflamed muscles and ligaments to heal. But, as any chiropractor can tell you, this type of healing by doing nothing will leave some lasting negative effects. Not doing anything to reduce inflammation and resolve the stiffness will lead to the formation of scar tissue at the injury site. Scar tissue, just like the one visible on your skin after major trauma, is different from regular muscle and ligament tissue. It is less flexible and does not have the same strength as the tissue before injury. Thus, you will not be able to move your elbow freely and rely on your arm for heavy lifting activities.
What Is the Approach of Chiropractic Care for Golfer’s Elbow?
So, what does a chiropractor differently? And why should you choose chiropractic to treat golfer’s elbow?
First of all, the chiropractor will evaluate your physical condition as a whole, not just your elbow. You may be surprised, but golfer’s elbow may originate in a poor posture while performing specific repetitive tasks. Once the evaluation is complete, the specialist will create a personalized plan for your chiropractic care for golfer’s elbow.
Top three goals of this treatment plan:
1. Break Up the Scar Tissue
If you waited some time before getting a chiropractic appointment, you probably have scar tissue around your elbow. The chiropractor will apply specific soft tissue mobilization whose purpose is to break up this tissue. This may appear counterproductive to you, but it is actually the only way of encouraging your muscles and ligaments to heal and return to their original form and function. Some examples of soft tissue mobilization used in the office are graston, cupping, ART and kinesiotaping.
2. Reduce Inflammation
After we address the scar tissue that has built up from the injury it is time to reduce the inflammed tissue and musculature in the elbow. We can do this by utilizing red light therapies such as the Aspen Laser, assuring patients are taking anti-inflammatory supplements (such as fish oil and turmeric) and stretch the muscles and ligaments to regain their normal ranges of motion.
3. Restore Strength
Lastly, we need Chiropractic care for golfer’s elbow will focus next on regaining the full use of your arm. Through careful joint manipulations, the chiropractor will restore the natural alignment of the elements that form your elbow. Once we can assure the elbow is in a proper position we can build strength in the joint to avoid re-exacerbations and future injuries.
