If you regularly play sports, whether as a hobby or professionally, you can be vulnerable to injury. Repetitive motions, such as those used during a golf swing, can lead to injury and loss of function, which if left untreated, can get worse over time. A sports medicine doctor is highly specialized in diagnosing and treating a variety of sports injuries using both nonsurgical and surgical treatments to get you back out on the green as soon as possible.
There are many causes of sports injuries such as trauma, repetitive strain, or from not stretching properly before a game. Sports medicine doctors are able to diagnose and treat a range of different sports injuries and conditions that affect bones, joints, tendons, muscles, cartilage, ligaments, and other connective tissue. They are fully up-to-date on the latest nonsurgical and surgical treatments that include advanced technology for fracture care, microvascular surgery, endoscopic surgery, and plastic surgery. Surgery may be recommended if there has been significant damage requiring repair, but it is often only considered after non-surgical treatments have been fully explored.
The shoulder and elbow can be particularly vulnerable to injury during sports such as golf. This is because of the repetitive motions, which over time, can cause cumulative stress to the tendons and other tissues. The two most common sporting related injuries to affect the shoulder and elbow are an injured rotator cuff and Golfer’s elbow.
Rotator Cuff Tear
A golf swing can take its toll on the rotator cuff tissue in the shoulder. The rotator cuff consists of four muscles and their tendons, which cover the upper end of the arm bone forming a cuff. The aging process increases the risk of rotator cuff tears because the tendons and muscles degenerate and weaken over time, but sudden shoulder movements, a fall, or overuse can also cause this type of injury.
Rotator cuff tears can be a major source of pain, stiffness, and weakness in the shoulder, which usually gets worse over time. Pain may initially develop in the front part of the shoulder and then spread down the side of the arm. Stiffness in the shoulder may make it difficult to move the arm and a crackling noise may be heard when moving it. The arm may also feel weak, particularly when lifting or rotating it.
A majority of rotator cuff injuries can be treated with non-surgical methods, including:
- Rest
- Activity restriction
- Pain relief and anti-inflammatory medication
- Wearing a sling
- Physical and occupational therapy
Surgery may be recommended for painful, acute tears or if non-surgical treatments have failed to work successfully. There are several surgical options that can be used to repair rotator cuff tears, depending on the size, shape, and location of the tear. For partial rotator cuff tears, a debridement procedure, which simply trims the tendon and removes damaged tissue, may be carried out. However, for complex tears, surgery to reattach the tendons to the upper arm bone may be necessary. Surgical approaches can include open surgical repair, mini-open repair, and arthroscopic repair.
Golfer’s Elbow
Golfer’s Elbow, also referred to as medial epicondylitis, is a cumulative trauma injury and a common type of golfing injury (hence the name). It results when the tendons in the inner elbow degenerate. Tendons, which attach muscles to bones, do not stretch easily and are vulnerable to degeneration during repetitive motions, such as those used during a golf swing. The main symptoms of the condition include pain and tenderness at the inner side of the elbow, where the tendons attach to the elbow bone. Pain may increase during wrist flexion or grasping motions and can also radiate down the forearm.
Golfer’s elbow, in a majority of case, can be treated using non-surgical methods such as rest, activity restriction or alteration, ice therapy, physical therapy, and cortisone shots. A splint, brace, or elbow wrapping may also be recommended. Surgery may be required if nonsurgical treatments do not work successfully or if there is significant pain. Surgery aims to remove and replace the damaged tendon to the bone.
Sports Medicine in Greater Chesapeake, Maryland
If you have an injury that is preventing you from playing sports, speak to the Specialists at Greater Chesapeake Hand to Shoulder. We are fully equipped to diagnose and treat the full range of shoulder, arm, elbow, wrist, hand, and finger injuries associated with sports. To find out how we can help you, call us today at (410) 296-6232 or request an appointment online at one of our Maryland locations.
