Digging into golfer’s elbow causes in Hastings, MI

One of the best ways to avoid an injury or medical condition is to better understand what causes it. This adage is true of many ailments, including golfer’s elbow. Also called medial epicondylitis, golfer’s elbow is typically caused by several types of repetitive motion. Since these motions are common to many sports and occupations in Hastings, Michigan, you may be at greater risk of developing golfer’s elbow than you might think. 

What motions cause golfer’s elbow?

The cause of many cases of golfer’s elbow is certain types of repetitive movements. These movements affect the elbow because they overuse the muscles and tendons in the forearm,  which are attached to the elbow. 

For instance, using your hand to grip objects is one movement that can lead to golfer’s elbow if done too much. Flexing your wrist up or down can also cause this condition, and rotating the arm is yet another movement that can lead to medial epicondylitis if you do it too often. 

How do people actually get golfer’s elbow?

“Well,” you may be thinking, “if these are the movements that cause golfer’s elbow, I’ll just avoid doing them too much.” However, avoiding these movements can be much harder than many people think. This is because these movements are vital to many sports and jobs. 

For example, as the name suggests, gripping, flexing and rotating are necessary when people play golf. Tennis is another popular sport that requires these types of arm movements, and baseball players will also find it hard to play ball without them. In fact, these motions are so necessary to baseball pitchers that people may hear this condition called pitcher’s elbow.

Besides being a repetitive motion-based sports injury, golfer’s elbow can also be called a work injury. After all, have you ever tried to swing a hammer without gripping the handle tightly? The thousands of carpenters out there can tell you what a bad idea that is, and doing this motion so often can increase their risk of golfer’s elbow. Lawn care service employees can also be at greater risk of this condition, especially during the fall when doing lots of raking. Also, painters or window washers must move their wrists, elbows and forearms repeatedly, and this increases their risk of developing medial epicondylitis. 

Find effective golfer’s elbow treatment in Hastings

If you’ve developed golfer’s elbow from your job or playing sports, Advent Physical Therapy has a clinic in Hastings that can help. Our team will first have you come in for a one-on-one screening to help us figure out the root cause of your symptoms and better understand how your symptoms are affecting you. Once we have this information, we’ll build you a personalized treatment plan that may include therapy techniques such as: 

• Manual therapy
• Instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM)
• Kinesiology taping
• Industrial rehabilitation

Take the next step to get our help with your golfer’s elbow. Contact us today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.