What Is Golfer’s Elbow?

Golfers elbow refers to the medical condition known as medial epicondylitis. It is one of the most common types of tendonitis. The condition is characterized by an inflammation of the medial (inner) side of the elbow. Symptoms of Golfers elbow include radiating wrist and forearm pain, forearm weakness, and worsening pain when gripping or flexing the wrist. Though frequently associated with golfing, it is however common in sports such as weightlifting, archery, and bowling.

Treatment Options

Traditional methods of treating golfer’s elbow include non-steroidal, non-inflammatory oral medications (NSAID’s), physical therapy, home management, allograft, and cortisone injections. Due to the limited success of NSAID’s, therapist and physicians have embraced stem cell therapies (SCTs). Stem cell therapies involve the injection of skin stem cells into the elbow to regenerate a tendon encouraging natural healing.

Injection of stem cells shows potential in the non-surgical treatment of sports related injuries and other diseases. Minimal invasiveness and the capacity to obtain high amounts of stem cells are two advantages of the procedure. The harvesting and injection procedures can be conducted in a single day through state of the art technology. Activating and isolating derived stem cells take less time, fastening the healing process. Injections are either locally or intravenously administered to a joint or muscle.

Weak elbows or those that have poor endurance or flexibility can develop medial epicondylitis. Despite the availability of a variety of conventional treatment options, incapacitating pain associated with this condition can last for some time or become severe if not properly treated. Where these treatment options fail, surgery may be necessary though in these instances doctors and physicians are increasingly relying on stem cell therapy to alleviate golfer’s elbow. Innovative procedures that incorporate stem cell-based treatment, growth factors, supplements, and PRP are infused into the injured tissue.