Elbow pain is one of the most common golf injuries I see at the clinic. You will commonly know these elbow issues as tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow.
For the amateur golfer elbow injuries usually happen because of one or more of the following factors:
Bad Technique
Physical Limitation
Hitting too many balls
Over practicing off hard surfaces
Importance of Screening:
Any golfer that comes to the clinic will be expertly assessed using the Titleist Performance Institute’s (TPI) golf specific screen which will highlight your individual physical limitations that will affect your golf swing, increase your chances of injury and most likely contribute to any existing injuries such as back, wrist, neck or elbow pain.
It’s never just the elbow:
In our experience in working with amateur and professional golfers elbow pain is just a symptom of other problems:
These include:
Poor shoulder range of motion (mobility)
Poor thoracic spine mobility
Weak Scapula/Shoulder Blade Stabilisers
Referred pain from the neck
Weak grip strength
What to do about it?
With your assessment results from the TPI screen we build a specific treatment and rehabilitation program around you. We also work in conjunction with your golf coach and strength & conditioning expert to get you back to full health.
Treatment will incorporate the following techniques
If you are a follower of the golf world, you probably have heard the latest news from the world’s number 1 golfer, Rory McIlroy. It is suspected that he damaged his anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL), while playing soccer. What golf fans are dying to know is, how long will it take him to come back from this? If it is confirmed to be a full rupture of the ligament, typically that takes somewhere between 8-12 weeks to recover from. But with the right treatment the process can be helped along. As Ireland’s leading golf injuries experts here are our top tips for recovery from such an injury:
Laser therapy -Why laser therapy? It helps speed recovery by stimulating the tissues to heal. We are one of the first in Ireland to have a Lite Cure Medical Class IV laser.
Rock Tape – kinesiotaping can be very beneficial for injuries, not only for decreasing swelling in the area, but providing support that does not restrict movement.
Joint mobility– we have all heard the saying, “use it or lose it”. This is especially true in the body. It has been shown that keeping joints moving after injuries actually helps them improve faster, by improving circulation in the area and maintaining range of motion.
ART® – Active Release Techniques ® can help to release tight muscles, ligaments, and joints in the area, improving range of motion and helping speed healing.
IASTM– Instrument assisted soft tissue mobilisation- helps to break down adhesions and scar tissue in the area and promotes proper healing of the injury.
Active Rehabilitation– tailored exercises can help keep the joint moving and strengthen surrounding muscles. One of the best exercises post ankle injury is balance work, to help regain proprioception in the joint.
Ice with compression- devices such as the Game Ready, can help with pain management as well as helping decrease swelling after an injury.
The ankle is such an important joint, especially for athletes. Any dysfunction here can lead to problems throughout the body, so proper treatment and rehab after injuries is vital. With the right approach it is possible to return from such an injury and get back to playing with minimal residual issues.
Contact us today to see if we can help with your recovery from injury.
Yours in Health,
The Lawlor Clinic
Chiropractic | Golf & Sports Injuries | Active Release Techniques (ART®)