The weather is starting to warm up and several local golf courses are open for business. It’s time to dust off your clubs and start hitting the driving range!
The quiet and concentrated nature of golf gives the impression that it’s not a very physically demanding sport. However, there is much more physical ability required than most people think and golfers experience their fair share of injuries. A golf swing is a motion with several components that involves strength and balance from the bottoms of the feet to the top of the head. Because of this, the whole body is vulnerable to injury, and any pre-existing injuries can affect one’s swing.
What is Golfer's Elbow?
One particular injury is so prevalent in the sport that it has earned its own name. Golfer’s Elbow is an injury to the medial (closest to the midline of the body) portion of the elbow. Also known as medial epicondylitis, it is characterized by pain and inflammation at the inside of the elbow that is aggravated by flexion of the wrist and/or gripping objects with the hand. Tennis Elbow, or lateral epicondylitis, is a similar injury except that it is located on the outside of the elbow. In addition to pain and stiffness at the elbow, epicondylitis can also cause pain, weakness and numbness in the forearm, wrist, hand and fingers.
The epicondyles, the bony prominences on the inside and outside of the elbow, are where the muscles and tendons of the forearm connect to the humerus (the bone of the upper arm). Medial epicondylitis is not limited to golfers. It can occur in anyone who grips or throws with improper form such as baseball or softball players, racquet sports, painters, typists, construction workers, etc. Basically, any repetitive wrist, arm or hand motion can, over time, cause medial epicondylitis.
Treating Golfer's Elbow with acupuncture
The traditional treatment for medial epicondylitis is rest, ice and anti-inflammatory drugs. Rest is key, but if you belong to a league, have a golf tournament coming up, or don’t want to give up your weekend outings you will want to get back out on the course as fast as possible.
Acupuncture is a natural, drug-free, safe and effective treatment for Golfer’s Elbow (or any injury). Studies have shown that acupuncture stimulates the body to release endorphins, the body’s natural pain-killers. It also encourages healing by increasing circulation to the area, reducing inflammation and unblocking the stagnation of qi or energy in the affected area. More recent studies have shown through functional MRI scans of the brain that acupuncture has an effect on brain activity in the areas that regulate sensation and fear. So that means decreased pain, faster healing, and perhaps a better golf game!
