Question: Every year I get a form of tennis elbow from playing golf. Could you discuss this problem and tell me (and other golfers) how to avoid it? Thank you.Answer: Many golfers, especially those who play or practice a lot, develop tendinitis in their lead elbow. In fact, elbow problems are the second most common injury for golfers (next to back pain). The lead elbow is the most likely to get injured because it is kept straighter and absorbs more of the shock of impact.
According to an article by Dr. Bill Mallon in the March, 1998, Golf Digest, golfer's elbow and tennis elbow are two different forms of tendinitis, but they are both caused by damage to the tendons that link the larger muscles of the forearm to small bones in the elbow. Golfer's elbow is pain on the inside of the elbow; tennis elbow occurs outside.
Golfers get tennis elbow four times more often than they get golfer's elbow.
If you suffer from minor tendinitis in the elbow, there are three swing changes that you can make:
1. Strengthen your grip by turning your left hand a little more to the right. The stronger the grip, the less forearm rotation you need through impact, which takes stress off the elbows. Also, lighten up on grip pressure and keep the light pressure throughout the swing.
2. Allow your left arm to bend slightly on the backswing instead of having it rigidly straight. Have as little tension in the arm as possible.
3. Swing with a more sweeping action. A deep, forceful divot can send shock up through the forearm muscles, then to the small tendons at the elbow, resulting in tendon damage.
An elastic elbow brace is also an effective treatment for tendinitis and can be worn while playing. The brace works by absorbing the shock in the forearm muscles before it gets to the elbow and the injured tendons. Graphite shafts can also help because they absorb more shock than steel. If you like steel shafts, have your pro add a vibration-damping device.
The best way to avoid elbow problems is to strengthen the forearm muscles so they will be able to withstand more shock at impact. Squeezing a tennis ball or other grip device for five minutes several times a day is an effective exercise. Wrist curls are also helpful.
Question: I would like to improve my golf swing this year. Which golf book do you think would be most helpful for understanding the swing?
Answer: I like "The Golf Swing" by David Ledbetter for a nice description of how to develop a golf swing. There is also "Your Turn For Success" by Garth Fisher and John Geertson, but it is available only in university bookstores (this book is used as a basic text for university golf classes). There is an exciting new book "Swing Like a Pro," by Dr. Ralph Mann, one of my former students who got a degree in biomechanics, and Fred Griffin, a pro who works with him at the Grand Cyprus Academy of Golf in Orlando. Mann started filming tour players in 1982 and now has a computer data bank of more 100 tour players' swings. From these players, Mann and Giffin have developed a computer model that describes how tour players swing the club.
Garth Fisher is director of the Human Performance Research Center at Brigham Young University.