Golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylitis) is an overuse tendinopathy that shares many similarities with tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis). Typical activities that are associated with a higher risk of developing golfer’s elbow are racquet sports, throwing sports, golfing, archery, weight lifting and bowling.
The clinical diagnosis of golfer’s elbow is based on tenderness on palpation of the medial epicondyle, as well as pain on the medial area of the elbow joint when resistance is generated by flexion and pronation of the wrist joint.
Eccentric exercises have become very important in conservative treatment of golfer’s elbow. An attractive alternative is extracorporeal shock wave therapy. In most circumstances, injections of corticosteroids should not be used. This is due to the fact that corticosteroids may lead to very good results in the short term (six weeks) but were demonstrated to be harmful in the longer term (more than three months).
Surgery should only be considered when conservative treatment fails.
Lee et al., Ann Rehab Med 2012;36:681-687
Effectiveness of Initial Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy on the Newly Diagnosed Lateral or Medial Epicondylitis
READ ABSTRACTSTANDARD TREATMENT | MYOFASCIAL THERAPY | |
---|---|---|
Number of treatment sessions | 3 to 5 | 3 to 5 |
Interval between two sessions | 1 week | 1 week |
Air pressure Evo Blue® | 1.5 to 3 bar | 3 to 4 bar |
Air pressure Power+ | Not recommended | Not recommended |
Impulses | 2000 on the painful spot | 2000 |
Frequency | 8Hz to 12Hz | 12Hz to 20Hz |
Applicator | 15mm | 36mm |
Skin pressure | Light | Light to moderate |