Steemit Learning Challenge-S22W5; Golfer's Elbow"

Greetings friends and my fellow fitness enthusiast! I'm happy once again participate in this week's Steemit Learning Challenge-S22W5; Golfer's Elbow". After carefully reviewing the instructor/ teacher's lesson, I'm here to submit my homework task as required.

What's a golfer's elbow? Write in your own words after getting knowledge from the lesson post. (Note: don't add special tests or investigations and detailed treatment in this question. Write the answer precisely).

Golfer's elbow, which is also known as medial epicondylitis is a condition that causes, Pain and Inflammation (swelling) in the inner part of the elbow. This condition happens in the human elbow when the tendons, which is the tissues that connect muscles to bones in the elbow become irritated and inflamed.

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The damaged tissue can be divided into three levels of severity; tendinitis, tendinosis, and tendon rupture. Golfer's elbow is common among golfers. This condition occurs in golf players due to hyperflexion on the wrist & elbow joint. Nobody is an exemption, being a golfer or not, you can still be a victim of golfer's elbow.

Causes

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• Making use of the elbow joint frequently or repetitively especially in golf players when they move the elbow joint the wrong way.

• Sustaining injury or sudden trauma to the elbow joint

• Participating in sports like golf, basketball,etc.

• People with poor posture, example, bad sleeping posture can cause golfer's elbow.

• Having such injury in the past can trigger back the golfer's elbow.

• Shoulder strain from farming or repetitive activities.

Symptoms

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• If the tendon gets inflamed on the medial side, swelling or redness will show up.

• The medial aspect of the affected elbow will be in pains and tenderness.

• The elbow joint won't have enough strength as before, and the patient will start feeling some fatigue or weakness in the affected area.

• The wrist will be difficult to bend, due to stiffness in the elbow region.

• Grabbing object with strength will come with pains and difficulties.

• The patient will observed numbness and tingling sensation within the region

Types of Golfer's Elbow

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Mild

In this type of golfer's elbow, we'll experience very little pains and stiffness within the elbow joint. The symptoms the patient will be seeing will be at a very low level without causing any serious pains or discomfort, though the patient may have some presence of inflammation.

Moderate

Just as the name implies, the patient will start feeling moderate pains and stiffness in the elbow region, higher level that the mild type. This type will also affect ADLs (activities of daily living).

Severe

This is the last type of the golfer's elbow and it comes with the most severe pain and stiffness around the elbow in the medial aspect. This type will make it difficult to perform everyday tasks.

Stages of Golfer's Elbow

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Acute Stage

The initial phase of Golfer's Elbow is characterized by the onset of inflammation and irritation in the elbow area. Typically, this mild stage marks the beginning of the condition and can persist for several days or weeks.

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Sub-acute Stage

In the subacute stage of Golfer's Elbow, symptoms intensify and become more pronounced. Increased inflammation, tenderness, redness, and swelling are common, and discomfort may extend into the forearm during physical activity. This progression typically occurs within a few weeks to a month.

Chronic Stage

The chronic stage of golfer's elbow is the most severe stage compared to others. If left untreated, the pains and inflammation will gwt to the highest level. This stage can persist for months or even years. However, with proper treatment and modifications to ADLs (activities of daily living), the recovery process can begin, marked by a gradual decrease and eventual reversal of symptoms.

How would you diagnose a golfer's elbow? Any clinical investigation or assessment tests? ( Don't add treatment to this question)

History Taking

Understanding the patient's daily activities is a key clue to helping us determine the best course of action. Activities that can make the patient use the elbow region often can lead to this condition. Taking the past medical history of the patient will help us determine if they had sustained an injury before in the elbow region, and this will help during the diagnosis.

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Physical Examination of the elbow Region

In this diagnosis process, we'll need to look closer to the elbow region that's affected, to see if there's swelling, inflammation or irritation. During this diagnosis process, we can ask the patient to move the affected elbow up, down, right, and left to know where exactly the tenderness and stiffness is.

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Imaging Tests

If the physical examination diagnosis is done then there's no positive outcome, that is where imaging test will come in. This test is an advanced stage of diagnosis where we can use X-ray, Ultrasound, and MRI. With the use of these there imaging test, we can know how bad the condition is, and the level of damage inside. Aside from the above mentioned imaging test, making use of EMG and NCS diagnosing method is crucial because this will determine the extent of nerve damage within the affected region.

Special Tests

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Medial Epicondylitis Test

The medial epicondyle test is a diagnostic method used to identify golfer's elbow. The patient will be asked to sit with their elbow bent at a 90-degree angle and their wrist extended. The examiner will then applies pressure to the medial epicondyle. If the patient experiences pain or tenderness, that alone will show a sign of golfer's elbow.

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Cozen's Test

Cozen's test differs from the medial epicondylitis test in that it doesn't require pressure on the medial epicondyle. Instead, the patient's elbow is bent at a 90-degree angle. If holding this position causes pain in the medial epicondyle, it may indicate golfer's elbow.

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Valgus Stress Test

During the valgus stress test, the patient sits with their elbow flexed and supported. The examiner then applies a gentle outward pressure to the elbow, inducing a range of motion. If this movement elicits pain, it may indicate the presence of golfer's elbow.

Try to practice at least 3 exercises that you have learned from the lesson. Share images, gifs or videos while practicing preferably gifs or videos.

Ball Squeezing