Golfers who play too much or too aggressively can develop tendon irritation at the wrist, leading to wrist tendinitis1. This alarming statistic shows how common hand and wrist injuries are among golfers. Whether you’re a weekend golfer or a pro, knowing about common golf injuries and how to treat them is key to keeping up your love for the game.
Key Takeaways
- Golfing can lead to a variety of overuse injuries in the hands, wrists, and elbows.
- Prompt medical evaluation and appropriate treatment are crucial to alleviate pain and prevent further complications.
- A combination of rest, ice, anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy, and in some cases, surgery may be necessary to effectively manage these golf-related overuse injuries.
- Recognizing and addressing hand and wrist pain early on can help you avoid more serious long-term issues.
- Proper technique, gradual increase in play, and strengthening of the core and upper body can help prevent these overuse injuries.
Common Golf Hand Injuries
Golfing can be tough on your hands and wrists, leading to common injuries. One common issue is
tendonitis
, where the wrist tendons get inflamed. To treat it, you might need rest, a splint, ice, and anti-inflammatory drugs2.
Another injury golfers face is a
fracture of the hook of the hamate
, a small wrist bone. This happens when the club hits the ground hard, causing pain and numbness in the palm. A CT scan might be needed to find out if you have a hamate fracture. If you do, surgery might be necessary to remove the broken piece23.
The wrist gets injured more often than the hand in golf, making it the third most common injury spot3. Signs of golf-related wrist and hand injuries include feeling heat in the wrist, swelling, stiffness, a bump on the wrist, lots of pain, and getting weaker over time3.
To avoid these injuries, golfers should get good swing lessons, stay fit, and warm up before playing. This can help prevent common hand and wrist overuse injuries234.
Golfer’s Elbow or Medial Epicondylitis
Golfers often face elbow pain, known as “golfer’s elbow” or medial epicondylitis5. This pain is on the inner elbow side, caused by the repetitive golf swing motion5. Golf, racket sports, throwing sports, weight training, and certain jobs can cause this pain5. Doing these activities for over an hour daily can lead to this overuse injury5.
Golfer’s elbow is like tennis elbow but on the inner elbow5. People over 40, doing repetitive tasks for hours, being overweight, or smoking increases the risk5. Symptoms include pain, stiffness, and weakness in the inner elbow and forearm6. This condition comes from repetitive wrist flexion or gripping, especially in beginners6.
First, rest, physical therapy, and anti-inflammatory drugs help treat golfer’s elbow6. If it doesn’t get better, cortisone shots or surgery might be needed6. About 10% of cases might need surgery if other treatments don’t work6. Surgery removes damaged tendon parts and fixes tears if any6.
Preventing golfer’s elbow means strengthening forearm muscles, stretching before playing, and using the right equipment5. Knowing when to rest also helps. By acting early and getting the right treatment, golfers can keep enjoying their sport56.
Lateral Epicondylitis
Golfers often face hand and wrist injuries, like lateral epicondylitis, also known as “tennis elbow.” This happens from the repeated strain on the lead arm during the golf swing7. It’s treated first with conservative methods, then injections or surgery if needed7.
Lateral Epicondylitis in Golfers
People aged 30 to 50 are most likely to get lateral epicondylitis, but it can happen to anyone7. Jobs like painting, plumbing, and cooking can raise the risk7. Sometimes, it starts without a clear injury7. Using the right equipment, like stiffer racquets, can help prevent it7. Surgery is an option after 6 to 12 months of not getting better with other treatments7. The ECRB muscle and tendon are often affected because of the repeated wrist and finger extension7.
Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex (TFCC) Tears
Golfers can also get TFCC tears, which are tears in a wrist stabilizer8. These tears lead to ongoing wrist pain and might need immobilization, injections, or surgery8. Wrist instability and pain from TFCC tears are common in golfers8.
Dealing with these injuries through the right treatments and prevention can help golfers keep playing well and enjoy the game9.
How do you treat overuse pain in hands from golfing
Golfers often face hand and wrist injuries from the sport’s repetitive motion and impact10. A key concern is hypothenar hammer syndrome, caused by hitting the palm during the swing. This injury harms a main hand artery, leading to pain, color changes, and reduced blood flow to the fingers11.
Damaged Blood Vessels
Treating hypothenar hammer syndrome might include using anti-inflammatory drugs. For severe cases, surgery to fix the damaged blood vessel might be needed11. It’s important to use the right grip and swing to avoid this injury. This helps lessen the impact on the palm and hand10.
Golfers should get medical help right away for ongoing or getting worse hand and wrist pain. Quick diagnosis and treatment can stop further harm and aid in healing. By acting early on overuse injuries, golfers can keep playing while reducing the risk of long-term problems10.
Golf Cart Injuries
Golfers need to be careful with golf carts. Using them safely is key to avoid serious injuries. Golf cart accidents can cause wrist, forearm, elbow, arm, shoulder, leg, and ankle fractures12. It’s important to follow safety rules to prevent these injuries.
Studies show that golf can lead to hand and wrist fractures more often than you might think13. These injuries can make it hard to use your hands, especially if you hit the hook of the hamate bone during your swing13.
To avoid golf cart accidents, golfers should be careful and slow when using the cart. They should also wear seatbelts and pay attention to safety rules. Following these steps can lower the chance of getting hurt by golf carts1213.
Preventing Golf Injuries
Golfers can prevent common injuries by taking a few steps. Warming up and stretching before you play is key. It gets your body ready for the golf swing. Slowly increase the time and intensity of your to avoid overuse issues14.
Strengthen Core and Upper Body
Strengthening your core and upper body helps your swing and reduces strain on your hands and elbows14. Doing exercises like squeezing a tennis ball or wrist curls with light dumbbells builds forearm muscles. This prevents golfer’s elbow. Also, rowing and pull-downs strengthen your lower back, helping to prevent injuries14.
Seek Professional Instruction
Getting help from a golf coach can fix swing and grip issues that lead to overuse. If you have wrist problems, a professional can guide you on the right grip. After surgery, check your club fitting to avoid re-injury15.
Warm Up and Stretch
Warming up and stretching before you play cuts down wrist injury risks. It shows how important being physically ready is for golf15. Yoga and Pilates are great for golfers, building strength and flexibility14.
Overuse injuries are common in golf, making existing conditions worse. To avoid these, golfers should do regular strength training, warm up, rest, and listen to their bodies. This helps prevent muscle and joint injuries16.
Conclusion
Golfing can cause injuries in the hands, wrists, and elbows. These include tendonitis, fractures, and nerve/blood vessel damage17. The wrist often gets hurt, and tendinitis is a common issue from overusing tendons during golf17.
These injuries can really affect how well you play. They can make your swing weaker and less precise, hurt your grip strength, mess up your swing, and make you tired faster17. Sometimes, you might need surgery for serious issues like Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or broken bones17.
To avoid these injuries, it’s key to act early18. Using the right golf gear and warming up for 10 minutes before playing can help18. Doing exercises like cardio, weight training, and flexibility can also make your body stronger and lower injury risks18. Getting lessons from a pro can teach you how to swing without straining your hands, wrists, and elbows.
Knowing about common golf injuries and how to prevent them lets golfers play safely. Getting medical help quickly and using treatments like rest, therapy, medicine, and sometimes surgery is important. This helps you stay in top shape for golf.
Source Links
- Golf Injuries: Prevention and Treatment | The Hand Society
- Common Golf Injuries & How to Treat Them – Michigan Surgery Specialists
- Golf injuries in the wrist | Ladan Hajipour
- Do This To Avoid A Golf Injury To Your Hand Or Wrist
- Golfer’s elbow – Symptoms and causes
- Golfer’s Elbow: Treatment and Prevention | HSS Sports Medicine
- Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis) – OrthoInfo – AAOS
- Golfers Elbow – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf
- Tennis Elbow vs. Golfer’s Elbow – What’s the Difference?
- Common Golf Injuries and How to Avoid Them
- Upper Body Injuries in Golfers
- Common Golf Overuse Injuries < Hampton Physical Therapy
- 3 Common Wrist and Hand Injuries of Golfers – AICA Atlanta
- Golf Injury Prevention – OrthoInfo – AAOS
- HSS PGA Portal : PROtect your game
- 5 Tips for Preventing Golf Injuries — Even in the Off-Season
- Causes of Golf Wrist Pain and How to Treat It
- Overuse Injuries In Golf | CMS Fitness Courses
