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December started off with a bang with Dr. Armstrong’s answer to Bruce Jones question about should he put off back surgery since using the PPGS swing his pain was diminishing. There were many blogs lending support, advice from many who had back surgeries, and many comments about other options for care and recovery. The following comment and question caught my eye because it sparked a few other comments on the subject of sore elbows.
Jim Wile says:
Don,
I occasionally read posts by people complaining of either golfer’s elbow or tennis elbow. I am currently suffering from tennis elbow in both arms. I think I may have been overdoing the firm grip pressure that you recommend (3 on a scale of 1-5). Maybe I’ve been closer to 4 or 5.
What do you recommend for people trying to follow the PPGS who have either of these conditions?
Surge says:
Jim, as I told Bruce concerning his question to me about cancelling his back surgery, I am the Swing Surgeon and not the Orthopedic Surgeon. In that light, I will address your question only as the Swing Surgeon and as a golfer that occasionally gets aching or sore elbows.
Over 50 years of playing golf, I have found the #1 cause for my elbows to begin to hurt is hitting too many drivers on the practice range. I could hit a hundred 3 woods with no problem. Hit more than around 20 drivers in a row and the inside of my left elbow always started aching. I guess that extra 1 inch length and added club head speed produces enough extra stress to cause my elbow to hurt. So, for all these years I never push the envelope on hitting too many drivers on the range. And being a real good driver of the ball, I have not needed to over practice.
When the elbow begins to throb and ache, the first thing I do is take a couple of 200mg Ibuprofen tablets. Next, I ice the elbow down as this helps reduce swelling. Then, I get out and put on my copper bracelet that also has magnets in it. If the ache or pain persists for a few days, I will then alternate ice and heat. Naturally, if the ache or pain persists, I may even have to reduce or even stop playing for a few days and only practice putting.
Looking at other and more likely causes of elbow pain starts with the grip. Squeezing too tight can be a cause. When we squeeze our hands on the club we should squeeze upward like we do when shaking hands. I really do not see many players squeezing too tightly. What I do see and I believe is the real and major cause of elbow pain is setting the forward arm too straight. I teach that the forward arm (left for right handers and right for lefties) is supposed to be RELATIVELY straight. That means there should be a little flex in the elbow.
The problem happens when the player overextends the lead arm causing the elbow to arch upward and HYPER extends the elbow. This can really get to extremes if enough grip tightness causes the bicep and shoulder to also arch upward. This basically has the arm and shoulder in lock down. The arched arm is now in a position that will not allow it to naturally rotate in the takeaway thumbs up into the catcher’s mitt. The club will likely be pushed away low, with the forward shoulder pulled downward into a reverse tilt.
The main swing problem turning on the elbow pain is releasing or throwing the club at the ball too soon. The elbow “hyper-extends,” locking down, and the club head passes the hands, getting to the ball before the hands. This compounds the problem, adding to potential injury in that one tends to hit or stick the club into the ground before ball impact. The “Chunky Monkey,” as I call it, really gives the arms a jolt that is definitely not good for the elbow and wrists.
One last important point is that if you keep having elbow or wrist problems, you need to see your primary care physician for a check-up. He or she can check to see that you do not have some strained or torn muscles, tendons or ligaments, arthritis or tendinitis.
Some other things that may help keep elbow ache and pain down, especially if arthritis is an issue and you want to not have to keep taking ibuprofen or other pills to help reduce inflammation or swelling long term, is to wear some of the ION bracelets out on the market.
At our recent golf school, I was wearing an ion wrist band on each wrist. At dinner one night one of he guys asked me about them, as to what they were and do they help. I felt they really helped me. I went on to add that it may be truly physiological help or just voodoo or hocus pocus and in my head. My wife, Susan, an RN, also wears an ion bracelet for her knee pain. We both feel better with physically less ache and pain. I told the student that whether it was actually reducing pain or was just hocus pocus and in happening only mentally in our head, it doesn’t matter. Whatever it may be, I am sure — as my wife is too — that we feel better both physically with less ache and pain, and mentally. Either way, this is good for our overall well being.
The key and main point here is that you are not putting any drugs into your body. You are just wearing the ion wrist bands. The copper bracelet is putting copper into your body. It’s a physiological fact we need copper and too little is not good. Both wrist bands are good non- drug alternatives that may help reduce or even eliminate your aches and pains, not only in your elbows but elsewhere in your body. Wearing these wrists bands is very common on the PGA Tour.
So, wearing the ion and/or copper bracelets is a good alternative to taking medicine and surely is worth trying, as they are inexpensive. And if they work for you and can reduce your taking drugs, even ibuprofen, you are ahead. I will discuss more about ion bracelets in tomorrow’s article. I will list the main brands found out on the PGA Tour and worn by the players and list their web sites so you can check them out and even purchase them if you want to give them a try.
The Surge!
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Eliminating (ok reducing) reverse pivot. I found your post right on, perhaps. I tend to set up to the ball, club in my right hand (I am a leftie), arm fully extended, reach and set the club face behind the ball. That results in a very straight right arm that almost never breaks in the backswing (even though I am very inflexible). To start simple, how do I properly set up to the ball and address this issue. Thanks.
People might also try preparing their eggs in a copper bowl… the eggs leech out some of the copper ions. As an added bonus, if you’re making a souffle or a meringue, the egg foam will be less likely to fall.
Cheers
There are quite a few small ultrasound units (wands) for home use on the market. It works wonders for my shoulder and my wife finds instant relief for her arthritic fingers. It’s a lot better than all the Ibuprophen and advil we tend to swallow.
Surge:
I have a number of wedges and I notice that the base of each seems to have a different width. I think thisis called the bounce. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having a wedge with a thick bounce vs a thin bounce width?
Surge, one of your most helpful articles. Boy, I am guilty of a couple of your no-no’s: I go to the driving range and hit over 60 practice drives and keep both arms when driving too straight, I first experienced golf elbow a month ago when playing in a tournament while there were frequent downpours, What got me was the cold and not having stretched. Two days later my right elbow was slighly swollen. Since then, I have made an effort to stretch before playing (doing exercises specifically for the right elbow) and to lift light weights to maintain muscle tone. I’ve found that a 61-year old man can not expect to play USTA tennis and golf at a decent level if he doesn’t stay in shape and keep the muscles toned. Again, a very helpful article. Thanks
I USE A BRACE THAT WRAPS AROUND MY FOREARM JUST BELOW THE ELBOW WHEN I GET TENNIS ELBOW AND IT WORKS GREAT. GENERALLY AFTER A COUPLE ROUNDS I DONT NEED IT ANYMORE. THE BRACE IS JUST 1 1/2 INCHES WIDE.
I like to practice but I find, like you, that certain things will start to cause pain after a while. I think focused short sessions are best, working on something very specific. It took me years, until I started to get older, to realize that I couldn’t fix everything in a day and I started enjoying the process of imroving a little at a time and staying healthier and pain free while doing it.
I have had significant golfer’s elbow in the past and have used PT exercises to stretch the tendons. The exercises are easily found on the internet. I have also used an arm brace to distribute the force of the downstroke. Even better are the new “flexbars”, a solid rubber-like cylinder about 12″ x 2″, that has been shown clinically to be more effective than the exercise therapies. I have one sold by Theraband and use it routinely to prevent a reoccurrence of the painful elbow tendon inflammation.
If you get golfer’s elbow and you use steel shafetd clubs, try graphite shafts. I switched to graphite shafts after my wife cured her tennis elbow by changing from metal tennis racquets to graphite.
It has worked for me.
I had a problem with the inside of my Rt. elbow a couple years ago. A physical therapist friend of mine gave me an exercise to prevent it and it worked 100%. I haven’t had a problem since. The condition is on the inside of the elbow and not the outside as is the case with tennis elbow.
Don, I have a testimonial how my hurting elbow was helped. It is a simple exercise. This was passed on to me when I had to wear a pressure band around my fore arm to stop the pain from
the elbow. This worked and in a short time I did not have the elbow pain… Just take a small weight, two or three pound dumb-bell. When you are sitting watchin’ the golf channel or your favorite how to DVD; just hold the weight in your hand and twist it back and frow. This strenghtens the wrist, fore-arm and puts the pressure in the right place and makes the elbow stop hurting. Worth a try, this exercise helped me and others and may solve some elbow pain for someone else. Cheers Chief-George
Reading your comments about sore elbows, I was surprised that you did not mention the straps that are fastened by velcro around the forearm just below the elbow. There’s also the stretchy elbow brace. Both of these have worked for me when I’ve had “tennis elbow”. I’ll be interested in your words about bracelats tomorrow because I’m not at all conviced of their efficacy.
People beware,
If you have a Defibrillator Implant, stay away from magnets!!!!!!!
Back surgery; I had back surgery on Sept. 15 and they cut me in the front and back.
Just finished with the Therapy for 6 Weeks and I’m sill hurting. Only time I feel good is in bed.
It will be 6 months or more before any Golf. Think about this as I still can’t walk over 5 min before i need to set down. Have a back brace I must wear all the time except at night. I live on a golf course and just watch them go by. As of today it hurts just as much as it did before he surgery. Hope it will go away some day and I can get back to being regular and can walk and play the game
Carl Ring
Using the PPGS I can hit wedge up to 7 iron fairly well. I can come to a T finish really well and the ball goes nice and straight. Once I get to a 5 iron I start having problems. I hit the ball low and to the right. I feel like I’m real late and slapping at the ball.
Good information. I’ve used the negative ion bracelets and magnetic bracelets for years and I can certainly tell a difference without them. I know the world is full of skeptics but it works for me!
Surge : I am a lefty. I hit my iron’s pretty straight but when it come’s to the driver I have a problem!
I still have a bad SLICE. I am 5′ 4″ tall I went to a golf pro and bought a driver to my specs. I thought! My driver is 46″ long. The other day I went into a golf shop and saw a taylormade R7 Quad used and I asked to try it .I hit 20 or so ball’s and only sliced one time!!! how do I know if my driver that I paid big bucks is wrong or if it’s just me?
keep sending the tips and comments tks
I have sometime this winter to go south ,Being from New Bedford we will soon be into colder weather and would like to know if you have any suggestion as to were I might get warm for a week a month and keep my golf game sharp. To go away for 3 weeks all at once is not possible.but I can get away for 1 week at a time . Any suggestions
To Jeff Hogan,
Thanks for the tip on cooking eggs in a copper bowl.
The Surge!
To Peter Redeker,
Thanks for th einfo on the ultra Sound wands. Sounds interesting. i will check them out.
The Surge!
To Kent and Boyd Hiscock,
Thanks for bringing up using the arm bands with velcro below the elbow. I can’t believe I forgot about that as I always have one in my bag.
I went and got mine out and it is a Tru Fit. I got it form one of the PT’s in the PGA Tour work out van at Harbour Town in the early 90’s. This one is sort of rubbery and 2 1/4 inches wide. I remember he told me that you want to get a band that holds heat in as that helps a lot.
Don
To Wilson,
Thanks for reminding us about using graphite shafts as they reduce shock from impact.
The Surge!
Chief George,
I like your exercise of twisting a light weight back and froth while siting down.
The Surge!
To David Roberts of New Bedford,
I know New Bedford, MA well and I agree that getting away in the winter is a great idea. If you are going straight south down the east coast I would suggest that in Jan. and Feb. you need to go all the way to Florida and should go to Orlando and south to be sure of warm weather.
The Surge!
I am 62 yrs old and over the years the only physical problem I have had is an early Spring rib cage pull from over-swinging. Perhaps the most excruciating pain one can have. I haven’t gotten it in 5 years now and I think because my age has naturally shortened my backswing. The benefit from a shortened backswing is also a more accurate swing that produces closer hits to the pin. More club is required but I am past the ego trip of needing to hit 150 yard 9-irons. Now I hit a 9 about 120 yards and am accurate. I have been playing Mizuno MP32’s with Rifle shafts and wonder if they are still considered better? I love mine and also like the look. I’m due for a new set this year and wonder what the Surge plays and likes?
Jerry
To PETER REDEKER<
Could you give us a product name and or a web site for ypthe ultra sound wands? I would consider trying them out for my arthritic hands and fingers. If SURGE or anyone else has more advice for arthritic fingers and hands please share. THANKS
I appreciate your daily emails with good advice. The response from your subscribers is helpful for different takes on the advice.
To Jim Benjamin
Since you are successful in hitting PW to 7 Iron but are experiencing trouble with your other irons, you may want to ensure that you are getting your ball in the right position at address, remember that Don teaches you to move the ball one inch forward in your stance from center beginning with the 6 iron so that means that a 5 iron would be 2 inches forward of center.
My personal experience is that when I address the ball with my 5 iron, visually it appears too much forward but the results have been nothing short of great, I think it is because as the shafts get longer, it gives me time to get the clubface squared up by impact.
I spent 3 days with Paul Bertholy at his home teaching loocation a while back. He was a Grand Master Instructer you probably know. He told me of a man he befriended who used a technique similar to PPGS. Moe Norman, who would visit couple times a year. Never came in the house, slept in his car & only came in to use the bathroom. He was Autistic i gather. Paul said he was the grestest ball striker ever & wanted him to help teach Bertholly’s technique. He wouldn’t, just wanted to teach young kids & his own style. His style was like PPGS. Bertholy taught Toski, Leadbetter and many others, how to teach golf.
I just wanted to ask if the PPGS is a cousin or take- off of the Moe technique. I surely like the PPGS but only started last month & had one time at the driving range got very excited at the results. Reading the Manual & got Ernest Jones’s book (great) & can’t wait to get to HHI for our two weeks in April.
Keep up the good work, Ever Thine Dr. Frank
Hi Don
Aching Wrist Left Wrist (I’m a lefty)
What would case the pain just behind the pad of theleft hand, in the joint area? I have chunked in the past. It gets to the point that it become very difficult to golf.
thanks
I have been getting your E-mails and am very excited to watch! The last one Don and DJ swings I could not view, the page loaded but the text was never replaced with video.
Sir i would like to hear some more about golfer’s elbow or tennis elbow does these serious problems?
Elbow pain can be related to other problems, as the hand.club below and the shoulder above both affect the elbow. I have found elbow pain related to misuse of the hands or wrists, so gripping incorrectly or incorrect releases can transmit more forces to the elbow than with normal grip and swing mechanics. A very commonly overlooked reason for elbow pain, either tennis or golfer, is weakness in shoulder. If the shoulder is weak, or technically called imbalance, several problems can occur. One is that the shoulder does not absorb impact forces well — the muscles should be the shock absorbers. The second issue is that the muscles may not be able to generate sufficient force to lead the arm through the impact zone with sufficient speed, and the elbow has abnormal stresses placed on it with resultant injury. Don, your comment about being limited in how many driver swings you can take on the driving range is suggestive of a weakness that leads to rapid fatigue. Check out the joints above and below the sore area for problems that may affect the sore area. Sometimes the real culprit is elsewhere, occasionally as far away as the neck or the upper back between the shoulder blades. I am a physical therapist and certified hand (and arm) specialist, as well as being an “old guy” as well.
For tennis or golf elbow: If pain is on the inside, extend arm straight out, palm up. With other hand, grasp fingers and pull toward ground. Hold for a count of 10, relax, then repeat 9 more times. If pain is on outside, point arm straight down, fingers pointing toward ground and thumb against side of leg. Keeping thumb against leg, turn fingers straight out to the side and hold for a count of ten, relax, and repeat 9 more times. Do these several times a day (it will cause some pain when first starting) and your elbow should be doing fine within a week or so. 25 years ago I had severe elbow pain and started these exercises. Two weeks later the pain was gone. Ever since then, if I feel any elbow discomfort, I start these right away and the discomfort never developes into a major pain.
I visited four different orthopedic clenics in a effort to cure debilitating golf elbows. After numerous unsuccessful treatments and a final suggestion of surgery, I went to a Chinese accupuncturest in desperation. In about six weeks he cured me. I had a recurrence in three months and went back for a a couple of treatments. I’ve had no problem since. That was ten years ago. I’m telling you, it works!
I am a golf beginner and trying to play hard to get place in it, please advise me by giving some tips to play it.
Thanks for this blog. I am great golf fan. I want to know more about Golf accessories.
Thanks for this kind information about human body.
Thanks for the post!The post is very much informative.Flex Protex is a good way to relieve joint pain. Arthritic patients feel a lot of pain in the joints which can be alleviated by taking Flex Protex. Being made of glucosamine, the main component responsible for relieving joint pain, this product is here to stay.
…,thanks for the post.. this is very helpful and informative especially for people experiencing shoulder pain…