Acupuncture treatment for golfer’s elbow

Acupuncture treatment for golfer’s elbow

Acupuncture treatment for golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylitis) primarily focuses on local acupoint selection, combined with distal acupoints along the meridians, along with warming techniques or warm needling, and emphasizes daily maintenance. The following explains acupoint selection, key points for manipulation, adjunctive therapies, and precautions:

1. Core acupoint selection and acupoint combination ideas

1. Main acupoints1.

• Ashi point (pain point): Insert the needle at the most obvious point of tenderness on the medial epicondyle of the humerus to unblock local qi and blood stasis.
• Shaohai Point (Heart Meridian of Hand Shaoyin): Located in the depression at the inner end of the elbow transverse line, it can regulate the tension of the forearm flexor muscles.
• Xiaohai Point (Hand-Taiyang Small Intestine Meridian): Located in the depression between the olecranon of the ulna and the medial epicondyle of the humerus behind the elbow, it relieves inflammation around the elbow joint.

2. Acupoint combination2.

• Distal acupoints: such as Neiguan (pericardium meridian) and Shenmen (heart meridian), regulate the circulation of qi and blood in the upper limbs.
• Syndrome differentiation and acupuncture point selection:
  • In case of wind-cold invasion, add Waiguan and Hegu;
  • If blood stasis blocks the collaterals, add Xuehai and Geshu;
  • If there is deficiency of qi and blood, add Zusanli and Sanyinjiao.

2. Operation methods and technical points

1. Needle insertion technique1.

• Ashi points are treated with circumferential needling (multi-directional oblique needling toward the center of the pain point) or floating needling (shallow penetrating needling).
• Puncture Shaohai and Xiaohai points vertically for 0.5-1 cun, and perform twisting and draining method after getting qi , until a local soreness and swelling is felt.

2. Enhancement Effect Techniques2.

• Warm acupuncture: Insert moxa sticks into the handle of the needle at the Ashi point or main acupoint to warm and dredge the meridians for 20 minutes.
• Electroacupuncture therapy: Select 2 groups of acupoints and stimulate them with sparse and dense waves for 15 minutes to relieve muscle spasms.
• Blood pricking and cupping: After disinfecting the local skin, prick it to bleed, then cupping for 3-5 minutes to promote the discharge of blood stasis (suitable for those with obvious swelling in the acute phase).

3. Treatment course and combined treatment recommendations

1. Treatment frequency1.

• Acute phase (severe pain): once every other day, evaluate and adjust after 5 consecutive times.
• Chronic stage (recurring pain): 2-3 times a week, 10 times as a course of treatment, with a rest period of 3-5 days between courses.

2. Joint Program2.

• Manual relaxation: After acupuncture, relax the forearm flexor muscles by plucking and pressing.
• Rehabilitation training: After the pain is relieved, gradually perform wrist flexion and stretching (see Figure 1) and grip ball grasping training.
• External application of Chinese medicine: You can choose a blood-activating and blood-stasis-removing ointment (such as peach kernel, safflower, and smilax glabra , boiled and then applied as a hot and wet compress).

4. Precautions and daily maintenance

1. Avoid triggering factors1.

• Reduce repetitive gripping movements (such as gripping a bar, lifting heavy objects) and wear elbow pads when exercising.
• Pay attention to keeping local warmth and avoid direct cold wind or contact with cold water.

2. Self-massage methods2.

Press the Ashi point with the thumb of the healthy side, and massage along the inner side of the forearm toward the wrist, twice a day, 5 minutes each time.

3. Indications for prompt medical attention3.

If limited elbow movement, persistent night pain, or local redness, swelling, heat, and pain occur, other diseases such as fractures and infections must be ruled out.

Acupuncture treatment requires two to three courses of treatment to be effective and combined with rehabilitation exercises can reduce recurrence rates. Studies have shown that effectiveness of successful rate for Golfer’s elbow can be over 80%. Avoid being self-treated with professional acupuncturist guidance.