Conference 7.286::golf

    Best to go see a sports doctor.  Sometimes a treatment of aspirin,
    light excercise progressing to weight training can reduce the
    inflammation and put you back on course.  The problem with just rest is
    that this does nothing to protect you from getting it again.
    
    Good luck - if you find a cure, I am willing to become your marketing
    VP and we can retire to our own golf course.
    
    SoCalDandy

    You might want to see a chiropractor.
    
    -Dotti.

    I have had tendonitis around my achillis tendons for 2/3 years now.  I
    tried physio for 6-9 months, and my physio couldn't understand why it
    wouldn't go away. 
    
    I've decided to live with it now, but find that if I really stretch the
    offending muscles before, but more importantly after playing sport,
    this seems to get rid of the acid that causes the stiffness.
    
    One suggestion my physio had, though, was to drink tonic water before
    playing, as this contains quinine which is supposed to help relax the
    muscles.  Might be worth a try.
    
    Good luck.
    
    Sheila
                                    

    Take 2 Ibuprofen 4 times a day for 2-3 days (Advil, Nuprin, Motrin-B,
    or any of the generic Ibuprofen.  I used to get tendonitis frequently
    and the doctor won't even discuss it until I have done my share of the
    treatment and it works great----now I take 2 right after I do any
    strenuous repetitive exercise, tennis, chopping wood, painting,
    sanding and I never have much trouble. Try it, its cheaper than a
    chiropractor and often what the doctor first prescribes before
    cortisone for extreme tendonitis.
    
    Discontinue the motion that caused it for a few days until the
    treatment has had time to reduce the inflammation.
    
    Sharon

    Forget all the "drugs" and see a chiropractor.  It will be worth it in
    the long run.

    I've had tendonitis in both elbows all season.  It finally is
    subsiding.  All I did was stretch daily, (hang from a door frame!).
    
    Rick

    I have tendonitis in my right elbow. They call it Tennis Elbow, 
    although I've never played tennis in my life. 
    
    The cause is a repetetive motion, such as a golf swing.
    
    I saw an orthopedic surgeon last fall. He is also a Sports Medicine
    Doctor. Here is his remedy, which by the way worked.
    
    	1) Get a 5-10 lb weight. Hold it in your hand, arm out straight,
    	   palm of the hand down. Using just your forearm muscles, let the
    	   weight pull (stretch) the forearm muscle. Then lift the wieght
    	   using just the forearm muscle. The key is to strengthen the 
    	   muscle on the other side of the forearm to relieve the pressure
    	   over the elbow.
    
    	   To begin, do 3 sets of 10 reps. Building to 3 sets of 20-25 reps
    	   each day. 
    
    	2) Use one of those forarm wraps. The one a lot of golfers and
    	   tennis players use.
    
    	3) Take 2 Bufferin if it hurts.
    
    I've done 1 and 3, have yet to do two yet. Sometimes my elbow hurts
    after 18 holes. When it does, I do the buffering trick and start with
    the weight again. That seems to help. 
    
    Remember, the key is to strengthen the muscle opposite the muscle over
    the elbow.
    
    Jim
    

     The exercise Jim mentioned works. It did for me. Here's some other
    things that helped me.
    1. Take 2 aspirin 1/2 hr before playing.
    2. Put some wet heat on the area 1/2 hr before playing.
    3. Take 2 aspirin right after playing.
    4. Ice the area down right after playing.
    
     The aspirin/wet heat will loosen the area up. The aspirin/ice will
    keep the inflammation and pain down.
    
    --Jack

    
    It has been my experience that taking aspirin/ice/heat is nothing
    more than a patch and in the long run is probably bad for the
    real problem.  Something probably caused the tendonitis in the
    first place, this is what you need to cure. If it was just
    a bad swing or a funny twist then rest it.
    
    I would recommend seeing a sports medicine person and/or an
    orthopedic surgeon.  It may be as simple as a cortison shot
    and some rest, or simply some rest and simple strengthening
    exercise to strengthen the weak area.
    
    See someone who knows what they are talking about, all  cases are
    different, what is right for one person is not right for another.
    
    
    --Bob
    

>>    It has been my experience that taking aspirin/ice/heat is nothing
>>    more than a patch and in the long run is probably bad for the
>>    real problem.  Something probably caused the tendonitis in the
>>    first place, this is what you need to cure. If it was just
>>    a bad swing or a funny twist then rest it.
    
    I've had tenonitis in my elbow (actually both) and it had nothing to do
    with golf. The one I had last year was caused when I built a 110'
    retaining wall. Stretching and light exercise is the BEST way to get
    rid of it. Resting the elbow is not going to work. The muscle needs to
    be stretched. If you just rest it, it'll take much longer to heal
    (about 5 - 6 months) if it heals at all. The treatment I had was with a
    ultrasonic machine. It would heat the muscle from within. Then I did 10
    - 15 minutes of stretching and exercise, followed by icing.
    
    
>>    I would recommend seeing a sports medicine person and/or an
>>    orthopedic surgeon.  It may be as simple as a cortison shot
>>    and some rest, or simply some rest and simple strengthening
>>    exercise to strengthen the weak area.
    
    As little as a cortison shot????? This isn't little at all!! In fact
    this is very drastic measures. This is probably the last treatment you
    want. 
    
    Mike
        

    Jim hit it on the nose !!
    I am the all time expert on this subject !!
    Two worn rotator cups and tendonitis in the left bicep.
    Saw head of orthodedics for Harvard U.
    Had two cortisone shots in each shoulder, right one 4 years ago
    and left one 2 years ago. DO not recomend more than this as 
    cortisone and cortisone substitutes are actually steroids.
    
    The right one took one month to take , the left one year.
    Cortisone are the last resort, and they will weaken bone
    if over done.
    
    The exercise described by Jim is very good.
    
    I use a liquid gallon of laundry detergent and due circular
    arm motion with left arm and can actually feel the muscles pulling
    down. And it strengthens the muscles around the shoulder .
    
    Next would be arthriscopic surgery.
    And that's my excuse for not being scratch!
    Ang
    

    
    re .10
    
    >retaining wall. Stretching and light exercise is the BEST way to get
    >rid of it. Resting the elbow is not going to work. The muscle needs to
    >be stretched. If you just rest it, it'll take much longer to heal
    >(about 5 - 6 months) if it heals at all. The treatment I had was with a
    >ultrasonic machine. It would heat the muscle from within. Then I did 10
    >- 15 minutes of stretching and exercise, followed by icing.
    
    THe face that you had ultra-sounds is an indication that you went to
    a Dr and that is what he prescribed. Fine, my point was that you should
    see a Dr to see what the problem is.  Many times stretching would
    do the trick and you'll be all set.
    
    In my case, I had tendonitis in my shoulder, rest, stretching, 
    ultra-sounds etc were all tried. None worked, note this was over 
    a period of about 7 months. The  problem was being caused by 
    somehting in my shoulder, no amount of rest etc was going to work.
    It took 3 cortisone shots to cure it, this along with other 
    thereapy and now it is fine.
    
    My point is simply that you should not play Dr with your own body.
    If it is hurting something may be wrong. THe cure may be as simple
    as rest/stretching, or it could be very complicated adn require
    surgery, or anyplace in between. You should play it safe and see
    someone who can tell what is causing the problem
    
    --Bob
    

    
>>    In my case, I had tendonitis in my shoulder, rest, stretching, 
>>    ultra-sounds etc were all tried. None worked, note this was over 
>>    a period of about 7 months. The  problem was being caused by 
>>    somehting in my shoulder, no amount of rest etc was going to work.
>>    It took 3 cortisone shots to cure it, this along with other 
>>    thereapy and now it is fine.
    
    I agree. And as I said in .10 the cortisone should be used as a LAST
    resort. Cortisone must be administered by a Dr. The therapy should be
    done first. Then possibly the cortisone or surgery. When I had my
    ultrasonic therapy, it was for the first time I got tennis elbow. The
    second time I got it, I just followed what the therapist did (with the
    exception of the ultrasonic), and it healed in about 2 months.
    
    Mike
    
    

         I have had tendonitus in my right elbow for 22 years, it was
    brought on by a motorcycle accident and has never healed. I have
    given up racquetball, tennis, softball, swimming, and a few other
    sports. Golf I refuse to give up though. I have tried excercise,
    been to a physical therapist, chiropractor, GP, etc with no cure.
    Ice after a round really helps as then it only hurts for a day or
    two. I also switched from a 16 pound to 10 pound bowling ball in
    my other sport. I envy those of you who have found a cure from this
    nagging pain. I have never tried cortisone due to its side- effects 
    and surgery never seemed viable as nothing was ever revealed in any
    tests or x-rays that might be causing it. Maybe I could switch to
    playing left handed !!!
    
    Mad Hacker aka Ice-bag Charlie

    Re: Ice Bag Charlie
    
    No wonder you have such a problem.  Bet you could fix your handicap and
    your tendonitis fi you would switch from your ten pound bal to a
    regulation Titelist or like brand.  Must be hell on your graphite woods
    to get the ten pounder in the air.
    
    I suspect that most tendonitis is caused by the weekend athelete not
    stretching and preparing to participate in the chosen sport.  Over a
    lonf period of time the condition can become chronic.  Those folks have
    a different perspective/threshhold on pain.  The rest of us can use the
    aspirin/strecthing techniques to alleviate/eliminate the problem. 
    
    Something else to consider...maybe the swing is causing the problem. 
    Or the grip..A strong grip can promote the jarring action associated
    with tendonitis.  
    
    I would think that a strong grip would be required with a ten pound
    ball.  How long did you play with a 16 pounder?  Did you use a shovel
    to fix your ball marks?  That alone could have aggrivated your
    tendonitis.
    
    SoCalDandy
    

> Maybe I could switch to playing left handed !!!
    
	Trust me, this is much more painful than anything you're enduring now.

	Mike

    I had to switch to the ten pounder because the 16 would just push the
    tee all the way into the ground !!  Of course as Jack will attest,
    with the Yonex driver you can get any ball into the air and way
    down the fairway!
        The tip about the strong grip is valid though. Since going to
    a more neutral grip, the pain is less after a round. Unless of course
    I bury the clubhead into the ground on a full swing !!!
    
       Mad Hacker                      

    If you have to take a drop with that 10-pounder be sure your feet are
    out of the way or you'll have more than tendonitis to worry about!!!
    
    (Enjoying the repartee!)
    
    Nadine [practicing for the Ladies Senior Tour]
    

    Well, thanks for all the advice. After my physcian told me to wear a
    splint for 5 days and take anti-inflammatory drugs , the pain did start
    to away. I could not close my index and middle fingers in my left hand.
    My elbow was NOT the major source of pain but I did have pain shooting
    up my arm every so often. So I went to an orthopedic surgeon. He said
    to do hand exercises to strengthen and loosen the tendons. 

    Marty, cortizone usually work for me.  The needle is
    long and it hurts, but only for a few seconds and 
    the tendonitis is gone.
    
    Go for it...........
    
    Betty
    

    re:20
    
    Cortisone will make you switch to 16 pound balls.
    
    SCD