Weekend Champion - "The Bum Elbow"
by Dr. Kareem Samhouri author of Double Edged Fat Loss

Golf and tennis are two sports that you can play for a lifetime. While many other sports are difficult to keep up with as we get older, these two are low-impact and manageable with busy schedules. In fact, some of the most important business decisions in the world have taken place on either a tennis court or golf course!

As a physical therapist and fitness professional, I often see complaints of pain on the outside or inside of the elbow. If you are suffering from this sort of pain, you may have "Tennis Elbow" or "Golfer's Elbow." These conditions are degenerative processes, so it's wise to act early before the damage is done.

'Tennis Elbow' refers to tendonitis of one of the muscles on the outside of your elbow, specifically the Extensor Carpi Radialis Brevis muscle. 'Golfer's Elbow,' on the other hand, refers to tendonitis of the muscles on the inside of your elbow, specifically located at the common flexor tendon origin. The name tendonitis refers to swelling of the tendon, or the part of the muscle that connects to bone. Because tendons receive poor circulation, they do not heal as well as other muscle strains. Over time, this leads to a degeneration of tendon and a formation of scar in its place.

So, what can you do? Well, the solution is different in each category. Normally, people who suffer from 'tennis elbow' hit backhand leading with their elbows first. In other words, as they swing the tennis racket, their elbows are further forward then the racket. This puts a very large amount of stress on the outside of the elbow, at the muscle attachment to bone, and causes repeated microtrauma over time.

With 'Golfer's Elbow,' on the contrary, stress is placed on the medial (inside) aspect of the elbow. Usually, this is the result of hitting an "open-faced" shot. In other words, this sort of pain most commonly is a result of an extended elbow (straight arm) with the club turned out as you make contact with the ball. This position adds stress to the inside of the elbow, while also overstretching the muscles originating on that side. Again, 'golfer's elbow' is a result of repeated microtrauma, rather than one "bad shot."

In general terms, you're going to want to strengthen all surrounding muscles, while resting what's hurt. Common exercises would include:

• Wrist curls (up/down/diagonally to each side)


• Bicep curls


• Reverse bicep curls (palm down)


• Hammer curls (forearm curls)


• Sports-specific exercises to gradually progress to a full swing

The idea is to rest what's hurt, never increase pain through activity, and ice often. Of course, you should always see a physician before beginning an unfamiliar exercise program. If your symptoms worsen or do not improve, you should also see a physician or physical therapist.

If you are having trouble or you are unsure about what the best method might be, don't be too proud: Seek the help of a fitness professional or physical therapist. We'd be happy to help you create a foundation for healthy living and injury prevention. The human body is a complicated machine. It's wise to avoid learning through experience when dealing with any complicated machine, especially one that hurts through experience!

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