Golf Arm Sleeves - Preventing Golfer's Elbow

If you have had golfer's elbow, then you know firsthand that sudden, shooting pain feeling when you play a shot. Whether a drive, a wedge, or even a short chip shot, golfer's elbow can be quite the nuisance. Most folks know what causes golfer's elbow and how to treat it, but surprisingly few golfers know how, or take measures, to prevent it.

Golfer's Elbow - What is golfer's elbow?

Golfer's elbow is chronic pain just below the inside of your elbow joint. This is where the upper arm bone meets the forearm and several muscles and tendons are connected.

Golfer's Elbow - What are the symptoms of golfer's elbow?

The symptoms of golfer's elbow are pain, swelling, and weakening of strength in and use of your fingers.

Golfer's Elbow - What causes golfer's elbow?

Golfer's elbow is caused by repetitive stress on the tendons in your arm. Gripping the club, hinging your wrists, swinging the club, and making contact with the ball and ground can all cause stress in the tendons in your arms.

Golfer's Elbow - How do you treat golfer's elbow?

The treatment for golfer's elbow is to stop playing golf. With time, it usually goes away on its own. For serious cases of golfer's elbow, a doctor may recommend cortisone shots and even surgery.

Golfer's Elbow - Preventing golfer's elbow with good grips, gloves, and sleeves!

To prevent golfer's elbow, there are common sense measures that every golfer should abide by such as not hitting so many balls on the range, not playing when injured, and being aware of how your body feels and what that feeling is telling you. In addition to these common sense measures, there are three specific measures that are important to take and that help prevent golfer's elbow.

Play with good golf grips. If you play with old, worn out golf grips, you are increasing the risk of injury. A hardened grip with no gripping texture causes your fingers to tighten up. This not only produces bad golf shots, but it causes extra stress and strain in your tendons and can lead to damage.
Wear good golf gloves. Much like a worn out golf grip, a worn out golf glove or even a new glove with the wrong gripping features for the conditions that you are playing in will cause your fingers to tighten up as a natural reaction to holding on to the club. While a worn out glove might prevent a blister, it is likely to cause excessive tension in your fingers and forearms which will hurt your swing.
Wear good compression arm sleeves. The benefits of compression arm sleeves are enjoyed by all kinds of athletes and golfers are no exception. The compression in arm sleeves improves blood flow and circulation which contributes to better performance, protection, and recovery of the muscles and tendons in your arms. Compression arm sleeves will help you play better golf and prevent the soreness and damage that lead to golfer's elbow.

Summary

Don't wait for the pain to come. Consider the wise advice of Benjamin Franklin, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Or better yet, as Larry the Cable Guy would say, "Don't get golfer's elbow in the first place!"