GOLFER’S ELBOW
What causes “Golfer’s Elbow”?
Much like tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow is an overuse injury or condition that affects the tendons and other soft tissues surrounding the elbow joint. With tennis elbow, pain is experienced on the outside of the elbow, but with golfer’s elbow the pain stems from the inner elbow. Golfer’s elbow can be caused by many activities including golf, racket sports, throwing sports, and weight training. Golfer’s elbow treatment can help your game!
How is “Golfer’s Elbow” typically treated?
Typically, with a golfer’s elbow injury, when the injury is acute, doctors will prescribe, rest, ice, compression, and elevation. When elbow pain and instability persists for months without relief, more aggressive forms of treatment are necessary to relieve pain. In some cases, doctors may suggest a brace or splint along with physical therapy. When the pain is an ongoing issue, steroid injections may be used to treat the elbow or surgery may be required. Though, over the course of time many doctors have started to move away from traditional treatments and into a modern approach. This is because many of the traditional treatments have negative effects over time. It has been shown that while a cortisone shot in the elbow will temporarily reduce pain, over time it can weaken and degenerate ligaments and tendons. This can put the patient at a greater risk of surgery in the future.
How can we help? Golfer’s Elbow Treatment
New therapies are available for Golfer’s Elbow without the need for surgery. PRP therapy contains a concentration of many different growth factors that reduce inflammation and promote the body’s healing capabilities. Studies show that PRP therapy can heal golfer’s elbow better than cortisone shots, as well as prevent ligament degeneration over time. PRP has long lasting permanent healing results as compared to a cortisone shot which will help in the short term, but it is not a long lasting effect. This can prevent the need for surgery in the future with just a local pain free injection. Seek golfer’s elbow treatment with Dr Bradley Morris.
Latest Studies
- Platelet-Rich Plasma for Primary Treatment of Partial Ulnar Collateral Ligament Tears: MRI Correlation With Results.
- Platelet-Rich Plasma Can Be Used to Successfully Treat Elbow Ulnar Collateral Ligament Insufficiency in High-Level Throwers.
- Autologous Platelet-rich Plasma versus Corticosteroid in the Management of Elbow Epicondylitis: A Randomized Study.
What are the benefits?
PRP therapy offers an alternative to invasive treatments for golfer’s elbow. One of the main benefits of PRP Therapy is the preservation of the patient’s own tissues. When going into surgery, it is common that the procedure will remove damaged tissue, which in turn changes the elbow’s structure. Surgeries can have career ending implications, but with PRP the injection is local and pain-free. No tissue is removed when using PRP and your own body assists with healing.
