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Prevention
By Mayo Clinic staffYou can take steps to prevent golfer's elbow:
- Strengthen your forearm muscles. Use light weights or squeeze a tennis ball. Even simple exercises can help your muscles better absorb the energy of sudden physical stress.
- Stretch before your activity. Walk or jog for a few minutes to warm up your muscles. Then take time for gentle stretching before you begin your game.
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Fix your form. If you golf, ask an instructor to check your grip and swing technique. The golf swing is a whole body swing, from the legs up. Sometimes, problems with your swing will cause you to use your wrist muscles more than you should, leading to overload.
If you play tennis, ask an instructor to check your technique for hitting a forehand. You may need to decrease your topspin. The racket size and tension of the strings are important, too.
- Lift smartly. When lifting anything — including free weights — keep your wrist rigid and stable to reduce the force transmitted to your elbow.
It's also important to know when to rest. At the first sign of elbow pain, take a break. In addition to self-care measures, time off is often needed to promote healing.
- Regan WD, et al. Tendinopathies around the elbow. In: DeLee JC, et al. DeLee and Drez's Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/189250272-3/968308279/2079/28.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-3143-7..00019-1--s0225_2496. Accessed March 16, 2010.
- Jayanthi N. Epicondylitis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 16, 2010.
- Weiss LD. Epicondylitis. In: Frontera WR, et al. Essentials of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/189250272-3/968308279/1678/22.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-4007-1..50021-3--cesec5_299. Accessed March 16, 2010.
- Mercier LR. Epicondylitis. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2010. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/189250272-3/968308279/2088/225.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05609-0..00014-9--s2275_4609. Accessed March 16, 2010.
- Laskowski ER (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 19, 2010.
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