Are Steel Shafts Causing my Elbow Tendonitis or is it Everything Else?

[Sean289]

 

Hi all, any advice or telling of your experiences would be greatly appreciated. Quick background on me, 34 years old. When not injured, I'm quite active. My weekly aim is to run twice, 2 upper body weight sessions, 1 lower weights session, practice twice a week and play once.

I developed elbow tendonitis in both my outer(tennis) elbow and inner(golfer's) elbow in early February. In late December, I pulled a muscle in my neck working out. As a result, I couldn't run or do weights for 5 weeks as my head and base of my skull would tense up, flare up and cause headaches if I attempted these activities. For 5 weeks, I got physical therapy, rested, rehabbed and took anti inflammatories and the neck pain, head pain and headaches were gone for good as of early February. 

However, since I couldn't run or do weights during this time, I had a lot more time to practice and play. From late December to early February, I was practicing 6 days a week for approximately 2 hours a day and playing once. I was hitting over 100 balls a day off mats as well as chipping, bunkers and putting. I went from practicing 30 minutes a day to 2 hours a day which looking back, I now realise that this was too much and too much of a jump up in terms of the workload over a short period of time. I think another real drawback here in Ireland is that from October to March, you can only practice on mats due to the ground being mucky and it being difficult to maintain due to the Irish winter climate. 

I realise now that I got greedy and foolishly did way too much in those 5 weeks that led to my elbow tendonitis. I woke up one morning in early February with both elbows on fire. I got MRI scans that confirmed I had tendonitis in both inner and outer elbows. I have since thrown everything at it since then to hopefully recover quicker. I have gotten and continue to get physical therapy, rest and rehab. I have also gotten PRP injections in the 4 different(2 outer and 2 inner) areas. I think they have helped but I'm still looking at another few more months on the sideline.

What I'm wondering is, does it sound like I need to switch to graphite shafts to alleviate the pain in my elbows or does it sound like I just really overdid it? The logical part of me is thinking that it's not the steel shafts that caused my issues but more the sheer volume and repetitive strikes off the mat over the 5 weeks that caused it. But I'm open to correction. FWIW, I don't really want to switch to graphite shafts but if graphite shafts are going to help me in the long run, I would switch to them in a heartbeat. I asked the doctor who was administering the injection about steel or graphite shafts. While I do believe that he really knows his stuff, he doesn't have a golfing background and didn't have much of an opinion on using steel or graphite shafts. He was more of the belief that it was the sharp increase in volume and the surface I was hitting off.

Any advice or comments would be greatly appreciated.

 

Cheers.

 

[Stuart_G]

10 minutes ago, Sean289 said:

What I'm wondering is, does it sound like I need to switch to graphite shafts to alleviate the pain in my elbows or does it sound like I just really overdid it? The logical part of me is thinking that it's not the steel shafts that caused my issues but more the sheer volume and repetitive strikes off the mat over the 5 weeks that caused it.

 

 

You are probably correct in what causes it.

 

There is no clear indication that steel shafts cause it - or that graphite shafts would have prevented it.   The only thing that we do know for sure is that graphite shafts do reduce how much playing aggravates an existing condition and allows one to (apparently) get back to playing sooner with out (or reduced) pain.

 

So once you know you're prone to the condition, it might be considered prudent to switch - if you can find a graphite shaft that's a good fit.

 

Edited May 22 by Stuart_G

[driveandputtmachine]

I didn't particularly want to go to graphite when I did back in 2012.  I was still swinging driver 123-125 and I felt like many in that graphite shafts were for Seniors.  I was in my 30's and I never saw big strong guys swinging graphite in their irons.

 

However an old injury from my teens started aggravating my wrist, luckily I had a guy that could get me some of the recoils for nothing.  I realized soon that graphite was not even remotely for old guys, and the F5 was STOUT.  I played Recoils up until here recently when I went to Axioms in X when they came out. Even though I had played 130 grams steel forever I went with 110 in the Recoils and my ball striking got so much better.

 

Well now I am almost 50 and my SS has diminished, especially with my irons so I went to the MMT in 105 and down to a stiff flex.  I am back to hitting my irons the way I was and my wrist has stayed without major injury since then, other than one time when I hit a root and it was my other wrist.

 

One thing I will mention is that when I WAS practicing, the graphite really helped me out with soreness.  Now since I basically refuse to practice the graphite is not only better than any steel I have tried, I also know I could go out and practice, and play more than twice a week and my wrist(s) would be fine and have the couple of times I practice a year.

[Frank Newport]

You most likely have a pinched nerve in your neck which is causing the tennis/golfers elbow. This is extremely common with people who slowly develop bad posture due to sitting for long periods of time at a desk or in a car. In your case, your posture is probably suffering from being bent over at address for long stretches of the day when your hitting balls. If you're not doing corrective exercises to counteract the effects of being in bad posture for long stretches your lats and pecs will shorten putting a lot of stress on your traps and neck. Over time these tight muscles will tighten to the point of pinching nerves which affects the ability of the muscles innervated by those nerves to function properly. In your case, nerve(s) between your neck and elbow are getting pinched inhibiting your forearm muscles from performing properly. The only real cure is stretching and corrective exercises. So check to make sure tight shoulder internal rotators aren't the culprit before you waste a bunch of money on cortisone shots and graphite shafts.

 

By the way, there are powerlifters and bodybuilders who lift extremely heavy weights as much as 6 days per week and grip those weights much firmer than you could ever hold a golf club and still avoid tendonitis because they're maniacal about stretching and maintaining good posture. 

[Lefty Mondegreen]

6 hours ago, Frank Newport said:

If you're not doing corrective exercises to counteract the effects of being in bad posture for long stretches your lats and pecs will shorten

Is that why I can't turn to look behind me anymore while I'm on my bicycle?  If I get religion and stretch regularly, can I get some flexibility back?  

[SMGolfer]

I literally feel your pain! Pretty much went thru and still going thru it!

 

I completely retooled my swing, mainly cuz of my irons, hitting nothing but shanks. Started my 10 lesson plan in Feb 2023, in April my company got hacked, I was practicing 4 days a week straight for the whole month, hitting 100 balls off mats using steel shafts, plus playing every weekend when I could. Both elbows have (outer and inner) tendinitis, Finally went to grass in June which was a little too late.  Basically what I researched and what the doctor told me is that tendinitis in the elbows are micro tears caused by weak muscles/tendons, that were unable to cope with the constant pounding/vibrations. I stopped playing golf in late August 2023.

 

Tried hitting steel shafts in early 2024, the elbows were not having it. Still played some in 2024, but had to manage the pain. I moved to graphite shafts around June, it helped a lot from the reducing the vibrations, personally I will not be going back to steel as I truly believe graphite does help with the reduced vibrations.

 

Literally 2 years later, still have some pain in both elbows, but no where near as the first 1.5 years. I still do a lot of the exercise the doctor gave, still looking for other good strengthening exercises. I did get a 2nd opinion a few months back about the upper body perhaps playing a roll (neck/shoulders) in weak muscles (I'm an office worker). At one point my left tricep starting to really tighten up, I had a feeling my left elbow (outer/tennis tendinitis) was playing a part in spreading upwards. Long story short, the muscles in our neck/shoulders could play a roll.

 

I did have a set back in early Jan hurting my left wrist, its all linked in my opinion to the tendinitis, but I am really starting to feel good. You really have to rehab well and stay with it. If your injury is as bad as it sounds, be prepared that this will not be a quick fix. I got tendinitis when I was 49, I am now 51, age for me has been a real factor. I use and still do, have 2 elbow braces, wrist brace and a lot of Voltaren gel and advil. Recently decided to see if Collagen will aid the recovery rebuilding the muscle tissue, time will tell.

 

Good luck!

[Nickb333]

OP. Steel=yes. Graphite=relief. 

[pured_42]

I never had an official diagnosis, but I began developing elbow pain while playing Project X 6.5 shafts after coming from Dynamic Gold X100s. Switched to Nippon Modus 125Xs and the pain went away. Maybe a coincidence, but you may try a different shaft or flex profile. 

[Frank Newport]

1 hour ago, Lefty Mondegreen said:

Is that why I can't turn to look behind me anymore while I'm on my bicycle?  If I get religion and stretch regularly, can I get some flexibility back?  

Biking is easily one of the worst hobbies you can have for your posture. I was an avid biker when I was cutting weight. Needless to say I haven’t done much biking since getting treated for pinched nerves 6 years ago and when I do I spend a half hour stretching afterwards.

 

Stretching is half the battle. Doing corrective exercise to strengthen your posture muscles is the other half. All those muscles that run up and down your spine and around your shoulder blades are designed to keep you upright and are the most important muscles you have.
 

If you ever see a serious lifter at the gym they activate the muscles that counteract the muscles they’re about to workout. If they’re benching or pulling then you’ll see them do shoulder external rotation exercises first. If they’re squatting you’ll see them do some light hamstring and glutes exercises. You need to keep muscular balance or your body will stop functioning properly. Muscles will shorten while other will get overstretched.

 

 

[phizzy30]

9 hours ago, driveandputtmachine said:

I didn't particularly want to go to graphite when I did back in 2012.  I was still swinging driver 123-125 and I felt like many in that graphite shafts were for Seniors.  I was in my 30's and I never saw big strong guys swinging graphite in their irons.

 

However an old injury from my teens started aggravating my wrist, luckily I had a guy that could get me some of the recoils for nothing.  I realized soon that graphite was not even remotely for old guys, and the F5 was STOUT.  I played Recoils up until here recently when I went to Axioms in X when they came out. Even though I had played 130 grams steel forever I went with 110 in the Recoils and my ball striking got so much better.

 

Well now I am almost 50 and my SS has diminished, especially with my irons so I went to the MMT in 105 and down to a stiff flex.  I am back to hitting my irons the way I was and my wrist has stayed without major injury since then, other than one time when I hit a root and it was my other wrist.

 

One thing I will mention is that when I WAS practicing, the graphite really helped me out with soreness.  Now since I basically refuse to practice the graphite is not only better than any steel I have tried, I also know I could go out and practice, and play more than twice a week and my wrist(s) would be fine and have the couple of times I practice a year.

Sound like my story, however, I have always been open to try graphite iron shafts.  My first set were Recoil proto F5 when I was in my early 30's.  I've always hated excessive vibration from steel because it lead to a broken metacarpal bone and sore wrists.  Been in graphite ever since and it's allowed me to practice and play more.  Graphite iron shafts have come a long way now and are every bit as good as steel, IMO.     

[sandpounder]

Graphite prolongs playing time.  Injuries are reduced.  The only negative is that when playing graphite, the feeling is muted as compared to steel.  I played steel for a long time and could feel  exactly where the impact was on the club face.  Graphite widens that to where even an off center hit feels ok.  Think of it like this: with steel you will feel the sweet spot if hit  within a dime of the center.  Graphite produces that same feel but within a quarter of the center.  Over time you will learn the new sensation of graphite and begin to narrow down the sweet spot a little more.  That is why when you hit graphite shafted irons for the 1st time, you will not like it compared to the feeling of steel.

Edited May 23 by sandpounder

[Frank Newport]

 Ask your PT to test you for a pinched nerve in your neck. It’s a simple test where they maneuver your head in order to recreate the symptoms. Also ask them to test your lats and pecs to see if they are tight. These are simple tests that any PT should be able to perform and they will take 2 minutes total.

 

Scheffler is already dealing with neck issues and Koepka and Homa have rounded shoulders. I wonder if @phizzy30 knows of any other guys on tour dealing with neck or forearm issues. They hit a lot of balls and most of them use steel shafts.

 

I’d also recommend “dry needling”. I know it sounds like bs but it was effective for treating trigger points in my neck, pecs, lats and forearms. 

[Socrates]

I have had both tennis and golfers elbow.  Neither condition was caused by golf or any sports.  But both were the result of repetitive use injuries.  So too much golf practice would do it.  Graphite helps but will not cure it.  The tennis elbow went away after a couple of years.  The golfer's elbow has been far more difficult to get rid of. 

 

What has helped more than anything I've worn is seen below:  I had used various straps and they were ok, but not great.  With the sleeve below, I have been able to hit a fair amount of shots with little issue. An older guy told me to use it and I didn't for a long time as I thought it wouldn't work.  But for me it has really helped.  Wish I had gone to it sooner.  Not cheap.  About $100 Cdn.

[PJE]

I’ve played both steel and graphite in irons. I don’t think it’s the type of shaft that causes pain rather it’s repetitive motion and whatever pre existing conditions and/or injuries which are present. That said, graphite does a much better job of dulling shocks than steel so it can be helpful re: pain. 
The trick is to find a graphite shaft you like. There are plenty of stout graphite shafts but also plenty of soft shafts and maybe I’m dumb, but it just seemed  harder to find a graphite iron shaft I like than it is to find a steel shaft. 
But maybe the best thing to do is to lay off golf for a bit and go low impact, low intensity (maintenance only) on your exercise to rest and heal ? 

Edited May 23 by PJE

[Sean289]

Thank you for the replies. I really appreciate it. 

[Sean289]

19 hours ago, Frank Newport said:

You most likely have a pinched nerve in your neck which is causing the tennis/golfers elbow. This is extremely common with people who slowly develop bad posture due to sitting for long periods of time at a desk or in a car. In your case, your posture is probably suffering from being bent over at address for long stretches of the day when your hitting balls. If you're not doing corrective exercises to counteract the effects of being in bad posture for long stretches your lats and pecs will shorten putting a lot of stress on your traps and neck. Over time these tight muscles will tighten to the point of pinching nerves which affects the ability of the muscles innervated by those nerves to function properly. In your case, nerve(s) between your neck and elbow are getting pinched inhibiting your forearm muscles from performing properly. The only real cure is stretching and corrective exercises. So check to make sure tight shoulder internal rotators aren't the culprit before you waste a bunch of money on cortisone shots and graphite shafts.

 

By the way, there are powerlifters and bodybuilders who lift extremely heavy weights as much as 6 days per week and grip those weights much firmer than you could ever hold a golf club and still avoid tendonitis because they're maniacal about stretching and maintaining good posture. 

I got an MRI scan of cervical spine which came back clear. My doctor said that a pinched nerve would've shown up on that. Thank you for the suggestion though.

[Sean289]

10 hours ago, Frank Newport said:

 Ask your PT to test you for a pinched nerve in your neck. It’s a simple test where they maneuver your head in order to recreate the symptoms. Also ask them to test your lats and pecs to see if they are tight. These are simple tests that any PT should be able to perform and they will take 2 minutes total.

 

Scheffler is already dealing with neck issues and Koepka and Homa have rounded shoulders. I wonder if @phizzy30 knows of any other guys on tour dealing with neck or forearm issues. They hit a lot of balls and most of them use steel shafts.

 

I’d also recommend “dry needling”. I know it sounds like bs but it was effective for treating trigger points in my neck, pecs, lats and forearms. 

I went through this testing. Thanks for the advice. 

[Sean289]

9 hours ago, Socrates said:

I have had both tennis and golfers elbow.  Neither condition was caused by golf or any sports.  But both were the result of repetitive use injuries.  So too much golf practice would do it.  Graphite helps but will not cure it.  The tennis elbow went away after a couple of years.  The golfer's elbow has been far more difficult to get rid of. 

 

What has helped more than anything I've worn is seen below:  I had used various straps and they were ok, but not great.  With the sleeve below, I have been able to hit a fair amount of shots with little issue. An older guy told me to use it and I didn't for a long time as I thought it wouldn't work.  But for me it has really helped.  Wish I had gone to it sooner.  Not cheap.  About $100 Cdn.

I may invest in these. Thank you.

[cadman88]

Worth a read.. I was suffering years ago, was ready to stop playing.. had a session, was sore afterwards, but then pain free for months. I now go for a deep tissues every other month.. 

 

https://www.golfwrx.com/134765/elbow-and-wrist-pain-how-to-get-rid-of-it/

 

Edited May 23 by cadman88

[jtmagic]

I’ve been down the same road with tendinitis in both elbows.  Tried everything and believe the two things that helped me the most to bring it under control where I can play pain free are (1) switching to graphite shafts throughout the set and (2) Theraband Flexbar exercises.  Numerous other things (changing specific weight lifting exercises, massage tools, isometric strength program, etc) helped a little but those two were most impactful.  

Edited May 23 by jtmagic

[Frank Newport]

11 minutes ago, cadman88 said:

Worth a read.. I was suffering years ago, was ready to stop playing.. had a session, was sore afterwards, but then pain free for months. I now go for a deep tissues every other month.. 

 

https://www.golfwrx.com/134765/elbow-and-wrist-pain-how-to-get-rid-of-it/

 

I've had this done many times combined with dry needling. It was extremely effective. I highly recommend it, but like the article says, its extremely painful the first few times. If any of you do go this route stick with it. My practitioner told me that the forearm muscles are by far the most sensitive muscles to receive trigger point therapy on and that most of their patients opt for other treatments after feeling the initial pain of the "massage" and needling. Follow up sessions are much less painful because your issue will be much less severe than they were in the first visit. Heating pads and massage guns can help too but they're not nearly as effective as a skilled deep tissue massage therapist and dry-needler. As one therapist explained trigger-point therapy to me, if it doesn't hurt it's probably not helping.

[Urb]

OP, you 5x'd your volume on that elbow.  Basically overnight.  While rehabbing a different injury.  Imagine 5x-ing the volume on deadlifts like that.  

 

Also don't hit off mats.  My club got new mats and they sucks a** vs the older squishy ones.  Much harder.  I can only get thru one bucket before I start to feel it.  I can hit 5 buckets off grass.  I play probably the 2nd worst shafts for elbows and wrists (ctaper lites).  Sucks that your weather sucks but just hit drivers and putt in the winter.  

 

You over trained and now you're back on the couch.  Rest, rehab, then strengthen and lengthen.  

 

Graphite shafts and all the woo-woo stuff won't hurt but if you don't just let your body heal and then rebuild it better, that injury is gonna haunt you.  

 

You're 34, so it shouldn't be a horrible rehab but gonna be longer than your 20s.

 

 

[Urb]

12 hours ago, Frank Newport said:

Biking is easily one of the worst hobbies you can have for your posture. I was an avid biker when I was cutting weight. Needless to say I haven’t done much biking since getting treated for pinched nerves 6 years ago and when I do I spend a half hour stretching afterwards.

 

Stretching is half the battle. Doing corrective exercise to strengthen your posture muscles is the other half. All those muscles that run up and down your spine and around your shoulder blades are designed to keep you upright and are the most important muscles you have.
 

If you ever see a serious lifter at the gym they activate the muscles that counteract the muscles they’re about to workout. If they’re benching or pulling then you’ll see them do shoulder external rotation exercises first. If they’re squatting you’ll see them do some light hamstring and glutes exercises. You need to keep muscular balance or your body will stop functioning properly. Muscles will shorten while other will get overstretched.

 

 

Can confirm biking is incompatible with golf.

 

10 years on a mountain bike and it's an uphill battle to undo the tightness and strength imbalances.

 

Bike if you like biking, it's a lot of fun.  Great if you can't run.  Swimming is probably best cardio thats golf compatible.

[Mike_C]

58 minutes ago, jtmagic said:

I’ve been down the same road with tendinitis in both elbows.  Tried everything and believe the two things that helped me the most to bring it under control where I can play pain free are (1) switching to graphite shafts throughout the set and (2) Theraband Flexbar exercises.  Numerous other things (changing specific weight lifting exercises, massage tools, isometric strength program, etc) helped a little but those two were most impactful.  

 

I could have wrote this myself. The only thing I would add is additional resistance training for the entire arm.  The Theraband Flexbar works wonders the forearm, but it seemed that it wasn't until I added work  on my biceps and triceps that it started to really improve.   Not super heavy weights, but working with 10 to 20 pound dumbbells and cables.....

 

My problems started in 2015/2016, lasted several years off and on.   By last year I found I could play steel in my irons, and did for several months, but have thought better of it and went back to graphite. 

[NailedIt]

As someone who is also currently battling tennis/golfer elbow, I would add looking at your diet and make sure you're not eating and drinking things that lead to inflammation. 

[PNW]

Trust your docs here. If you've never dealt with elbow tendinitis before then there is a good chance you come out of PT without it being a continuing issue. But if you think you might keep the increased practice load up then it's certainly worth considering graphite shafts to lessen the load a little. 

 

BTW, I'm three weeks post PRP injections myself in some glute tendons, cheers to a quick recovery!

[Phabs]

I went to graphite in the set I typically use at the range and it’s helped my elbow.   If I hit my 6.5’s even two days a week at the range I feel it.  I workout 5 days a week and noticed the elbow not being pissed anywhere near as bad.  Playing rounds with the 6.5’s doesn’t bother the elbow near as bad just beating balls 

[avguy]

As a lefty whom golfs righty, the pain from 2-3 horrid bouts with Golfer's elbow in my lead left arm got me to change several things.  

 

I got out of steel shafts in my irons.  Typically I play and rotate several sets, it's been 2 for 5 yrs now including some range time.   I kept the profile the same as the steel which I was playing well with.  110g, S flex.  On the Titleist site, one can find the butt and tip frequencies of many shafts.  Then there is the shaft MPF ratings.  

 

Shallowed out my swing path a bit.  Steeper before in irons and more upright, was just too hard on the front side.  Basically, went from a Trahan PPGS (RIP) version to the WIG Clement clinic - improved game as well!

 

Got the green Theraband flexbar to use in the Tyler Twist exercise most days.  You literally unwrap/elongate those forearm tendons/muscles and get grip power as a bonus.

 

I kept a steel shafted set of irons from Japan which are too awesome to say by to - only will play them, not range bucket bash them to save the arm.  I haven't had that nasty issue for at least 6-7 yrs and I also am an avid cyclist, riding MT Bike and a Cyclcross both off-road at 60-90m/week.  Yep, I participate in two bent over sports in that plus golf - posture is a battle daily!

 

 

Edited May 24 by avguy

[gumpy]

I’m quite prone to tendonitis, I literally did what Avguy did. 

 

I used to be very down on the ball with irons, now much less so. I also use the flex bar. 

 

My final part of my journey is to find a heavier graphite shaft. My next set likely to be MMT 95s or something. 

[Colej]

OP you’ve got a lot of good advice here. The switch to graphite will help but you definitely need to look at that switch as an aid not a cure to your issues. 
 

good luck to you