Golfer’s Elbow
Injection Therapy
Specialist assessment and corticosteroid injection therapy
for selected cases of golfer’s elbow at our Fareham clinic
What Is Golfer’s Elbow?
Golfer’s elbow, also known as medial elbow tendinopathy, affects the tendons that attach to the inside of the elbow.
It commonly causes pain with gripping, lifting, carrying, gym work, racquet or throwing sports and other activities that place repeated load through the wrist and forearm.
Despite the name, you do not need to play golf to develop it. Symptoms often build gradually following repetitive gripping, wrist movement or a change in work, exercise or activity.
Want to Learn More About Golfer’s Elbow?
Read more about golfer’s elbow, why symptoms develop and how progressive rehabilitation can help restore strength and tendon tolerance.
When Can an Injection Help?
Corticosteroid injection may be considered in selected cases where golfer’s elbow is particularly painful or irritable and symptoms are significantly affecting everyday hand use, work, sleep or progress with rehabilitation.
Reducing pain can sometimes make gripping and movement more comfortable and provide a useful opportunity to move forward with rehabilitation.
Because golfer’s elbow is a tendon-related condition, your specialist will consider how long the symptoms have been present, previous treatment, tendon irritability and what you would like to get back to before discussing whether an injection has a useful role.
How Does a Golfer’s Elbow Injection Work?
Corticosteroid is an anti-inflammatory medicine.
When used for golfer’s elbow, a small amount of corticosteroid is placed around the painful tendon region on the inside of the elbow.
The aim is to reduce pain and irritability, making everyday use of the arm more comfortable.
For golfer’s elbow, injection therapy is used selectively and works best as part of a wider treatment plan aimed at restoring the tendon’s ability to tolerate gripping, lifting and load.
Is Corticosteroid the Only Treatment?
No. Most golfer’s elbow treatment centres around gradually restoring the strength and load tolerance of the tendon and surrounding forearm muscles.
Rehabilitation may include progressive wrist and forearm strengthening, grip work and guidance around modifying work, exercise or other aggravating activities while symptoms settle.
Your specialist may also assess the wrist, shoulder and wider upper limb where these are contributing to the demands placed on the elbow.
Injection therapy can sometimes form part of this wider plan when pain is making progress difficult.
Do I Need a Scan Before an Injection?
Not usually.
Golfer’s elbow can often be identified from your symptoms and clinical examination.
Ultrasound or MRI may be helpful if the diagnosis is unclear, symptoms are unusual or progress has not been as expected.
If you already have imaging, your specialist can review this alongside your symptoms and examination findings.
Specialist Tennis Elbow Injections in Fareham
Assessment and injection therapy for golfer’s elbow are provided at our Fareham clinic by Mike Gillingham, Shoulder, Elbow, Wrist & Hand Specialist Physiotherapist.
Mike will assess whether your symptoms are consistent with golfer’s elbow and discuss whether corticosteroid injection, rehabilitation, imaging or another treatment approach would be the most useful next step.
Frequently Asked Questions About Golfer’s Elbow Injections
Where Is Golfer’s Elbow Pain Usually Felt?
Where Is the Injection Given?
How Quickly Might the Injection Work?
What Is the Aim of the Injection?
Will I Still Need Exercises Afterwards?
Can a Golfer’s Elbow Injection Be Repeated?
Not Sure Whether an Injection Is Right for You?
You do not need to know whether corticosteroid is the correct treatment before contacting us.
Tell us where your elbow pain is, what activities aggravate it and what you would like to get back to. Your enquiry will be reviewed by our upper-limb specialist, who can advise you on the most appropriate next step.
