Golfers around the world can enjoy breathtaking sights and feelings that others may never experience.
For example, only golfers know the peace that comes with gazing at a newly trimmed and well-maintained rolling green.
They also know the excitement that comes with having this extraordinary outing, where they stay in good shape and eventually reach new personal bests.
However, golfers also know some of the unpleasant aspects and pains of the sport - namely the golfer's elbow. Here are some insights into what this condition is, how it affects you, and why a golfer's elbow brace can be the best solution to the generally recommended compression cuff.
Tennis Elbow: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a golfer's elbow? Exploring Epicondyle Pain
The human body is built to perform certain tasks repeatedly. Walking, talking, and even lifting properly is easy for most people, thanks to your anatomy.
However, you should not perform certain actions permanently without some form of support. This is the case with golfers, whose actions of holding and swinging the club can cause long-term stress on the elbows.
To truly understand the specifics of the condition and how it affects your daily life, you must first understand the anatomy of the elbow.
What exactly does a golfer's elbow do?
Looking like a simple joint, the elbow consists of three bones that connect to various tendons, ligaments, and muscles. A golfer's elbow often involves an epicondyle strain.
The epicondyle is the bony bulge at the end of the elbow. A golfer's elbow is caused when the attached tendons become inflamed. It can cause stiffness in the joints and make it difficult to move. It can also impair movement in the lower arm, all the way to the wrist.
Sometimes soreness can even turn into numbness, which is especially problematic when a person is doing anything that involves grasping. Turning the key on your car's ignition, picking up a glass of water, or even shaking hands with a friend or golfing partner can turn into painful experiences.
How common is a golfer's elbow?
This type of elbow pain can seem downright debilitating—in some ways, it might be. However, while unpleasant in some cases and distressing in others, it's not uncommon. Many people deal with this every year.
Although it affects less than one percent of the population, there are still many people. While golfers are most commonly affected by epicondyle pain, it can also occur in others. It affects pitchers, baseball players, and even carpenters.
Why use a brace for a golfer's elbow
For some people, ice packs and exercise tape are the best treatments for this condition. For others, forearm pronation/supination and wrist extension can help. However, a golfer's elbow brace may be the best option when it comes to prevention methods.
Like most sports, golfers can use protective equipment to keep themselves safe. Taking a proactive approach to preventing injuries makes you more likely to be protected whenever you enter the court.
Even though the result of prolonged golfing may be only mild irritation, it can still help prevent pain completely and get more out of your golfing experience.
Why do some people use sleeves?
When researching the best brace for a golfer's elbow, some choose to use a different device -- a compression sleeve.
One of its advantages is that it allows extra warmth to settle in the area, effectively acting as a natural pain reliever for those who already experience some pain.
Another benefit is that it covers a large area, so you can treat any nearby tendon or muscle injuries at the same time.
Why braces are a superior remedy
The reason why braces are superior to sleeves boils down to one concept - support.
The sleeve can provide the pressure needed to heat certain painful areas, but it is not optimized for the specific anatomy of the elbow.
The brace doesn't just provide warmth—it's contoured to provide extra support to the elbows to counteract ongoing strength. When you use a brace, you can allow yourself to make the movements you need while playing golf without jeopardizing your health.
5 Reasons Tennis Players Must Wear Elbow Pads
Tennis is a great sport and a great way to stay physically active. The problem is that it specifically targets your elbows. When you're a beginner and just learning the ropes, it can be challenging to learn how to hit the ball accurately so that your elbows don't take all the extra stress. One way to help overcome this is to wear an elbow brace. Read the article below to learn more about why you should wear one.
elbow recovery
If you have elbow discomfort from a previous tennis injury, an elbow brace is a must-have for you. It prevents any further damage by keeping your joints at the correct angle. Elbow braces are great for maintaining elbow function even if you're just recovering from a previous injury. The compression of the brace keeps everything in place and limits the amount of tension and pressure.
Think of it this way: If you have a bad knee and you're a runner, you'll wear a knee brace to reduce pain and facilitate the healing process. Ankle braces are available for those who are in the process of healing with a sprained ankle.
Injury Prevention
When playing tennis, your entire body is at risk of injury, but your elbows are the most vulnerable. When the tennis ball hits the racket, it gets all the shock and pressure. One of the most common injuries in tennis is tennis elbow. This is inflammation of the elbow tendon and the muscle groups around it. This can happen if your elbows are constantly stressed and stressed. Tennis elbow is also the expected effect of so many tennis backhands. Doing the slightest mistake in tennis can give you tennis elbow. Elbow pads are a good preventative measure to reduce the chance of injury while playing tennis.
Reduce swelling and inflammation
Swelling and inflammation are not injuries, but they are more frequent than you realize. This happens when certain areas of cartilage or muscle in your body are constantly subject to physical trauma or stress. After playing tennis very hard, your elbow may be slightly swollen and inflamed. The muscles in the tennis arm naturally weaken over time. Strenuous physical activity can cause swollen or inflamed microtears during the healing process.
Elbow pads help reduce swelling by providing warmth. An enclosed space will soothe your inflamed area. Think of it as a warm compress that soothes the injured area and makes you feel more comfortable. Heat dilates your blood vessels. This expansion promotes blood circulation in the area, which increases the transport of essential minerals to help your muscles heal from microtears. Increased oxygenation is also great for reducing inflammation, and therefore soreness.
Improve performance
In addition to reducing your risk of injury, you can also benefit from improved tennis performance. The elbow brace has a compression effect that keeps your joints aligned and in place. It also guides your arms to extend and fold at the correct angle best suited for tennis. The stand basically guides your arm to move in the right direction and angle every time you swing. It removes the need to be overly aware of what you should be doing. Over time, your arm adapts to these changes and muscle memory takes over.
There are varieties
Did you know there are different types of tennis elbow braces to choose from? You can choose the one that best suits your needs. The whole brace looks like a sleeve. These are meant to be worn on your elbows and forearms. It stabilizes the joint and the two bones attached to it. This is great for preventing elbow dislocation or further pressure on the area. This is usually padded to cushion sensitive areas. This liner layer also adds warmth, which is good for your healing process.
If you want something more discreet and comfortable, smaller braces are available. This brace is a strap that you wrap around the bottom of your forearm before your elbow. It's such a simple design, but it really improves your comfort and the way you play. It allows people with lateral epicondylitis to get back to playing tennis or lifting weights at the gym. This is useful for more targeted compression types. It is great for micro-tears in specific areas of the arm. This also allows you to move more freely, which is essential in tennis.
In short, a tennis elbow brace should be part of your tennis attire. Seemingly simple accessories can have many positive effects on you as a tennis player. It can help you recover better, prevent further injuries, and even improve your tennis skills. It's an excellent solution to annoying pain and debilitating tennis injuries so you can play and train to the best of your ability. These aren't even expensive, so there's no reason why you shouldn't get one for yourself.