Many things can keep a golfer from enjoying a great round of golf, be it the driving wind or torrential rain. But for me, only one thing is worse than any foul weather condition and causes me to cringe at the mere thought of it. I am talking about every golfers’ nightmare–the dreaded golfer’s elbow. And if you haven’t experienced it yet, trust that if you happen to, you will be eagerly seeking out the best golfer’s elbow treatment.

According to the Mayo Clinic website:

“Golfer’s elbow is a condition that causes pain where the tendons of your forearm muscles attach to the bony bump on the inside of your elbow. The pain might spread into your forearm and wrist.

“Golfer’s elbow is similar to a tennis elbow, which occurs on the outside of the elbow. It’s not limited to golfers. Tennis players and others who repeatedly use their wrists or clench their fingers also can develop golfer’s elbow.”

The site also mentions that with rest and appropriate treatment, one doesn’t need to stop playing golf. Now, I’m not saying the world-famous Mayo Clinic may be wrong, but this time last year, I was wincing in pain just trying to lift a club with my right hand. The shooting elbow pain not only kept me off the course for months, but it was affecting my regular routine like brushing my teeth and lifting a bottle of Coke. It was hellish, and most people I consulted told me to simply stop all activity and rest the arm.

I wasn’t eager to give up golf during peak season, but my options were running thin. I’d tried everything from steroid shots to acupuncture, bandages to hot wrist wraps but nothing got me back into the swing of things. That is, until I met a surgeon who loved this game of golf, perhaps more than me.

Behold the Ficor Band, Korea’s latest and greatest news for golfers suffering from wrist and elbow pain everywhere. Ficor Band is an innovative new wrist protector invented by Dr. Sang-jin Lee, a self-described golf maniac who was tired of suffering from wrist and elbow pains that interfered with his enjoyment of golf.

So what was an orthopedic surgeon to do? He set out to make a device that would be more effective than any conventional taping or cumbersome protectors, backed up by medical facts and scientific research.

That was almost 8 years ago.

FICOR BAND: THE BEST GOLFER’S ELBOW TREATMENT?

The wrist consists of two pillar bones called the ulna and radius. When these two bones are used excessively, the nerves surrounding the bones are irritated, which causes pain. This can negatively affect the muscles in the forearm, which in turn can lead to golfer’s elbow.

The concept of Ficor Band is to minimize the pain by stabilizing these two pillar bones in their correct natural position. It’s the same principle as compression taping, but simple taping can restrict blood circulation, and may cause numbness or skin problems if worn for a long time.

Ficor Band is designed to compress and stabilize only the radius and ulna while allowing blood to circulate unimpeded. As a result, the device can be worn for long periods to give the wrist bones the time it needs to heal while protecting them from further damage.

It is also very easy to use. It goes on like a wristwatch and tightens in micrometer units by rotating a round disc on top. Also, the eco-friendly TPE (Thermo Plastic Elastomer) band provides both comfort and style without irritating the skin. Oh, and did I mention that a paper on it has been published in the Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology?

IS IT EFFECTIVE?

By the summer of 2019, my golfer’s elbow was in full bloom. I could hardly lift a cup full of water with my right hand, and daily activities became a chore in holding back a pained gasp.

When I first heard about Ficor from a friend who was suffering similar pains a couple of months earlier, I initially scoffed at the idea. Honestly, how would a wrist brace help the pain in my elbow? As expected, when I strapped it on my wrist, I didn’t notice any difference, and the pain was still there. But on his insistence, I wore the band for three days until the next time we were to meet.

The first time I noticed the effect of the product was at lunch the next day. As I unconsciously lifted a jug to pour some water, an immediate tingling sensation came to my right elbow. I braced for the pain to shoot through the arm…but what’s this? It felt less painful than usual. I lifted the jug of water again to confirm, and yes, it definitely hurt less than the day before.

I immediately tracked down Dr. Lee for an interview about his new take on wrist injury prevention. He was kind enough to diagnose my arm and properly fitted me to a band that was more my size (XS, S, M, M+, L, XL, XXL).

After wearing it religiously for about a month, I felt my elbow pain decrease by about 70 percent. This was a huge improvement over my first run-in with the elbow years before when I had to suffer through 5~6 months before I was able to play pain-free golf.

This time, my elbow pain disappeared within 8 weeks, but I still wear it daily, almost like a fashion accessory.

For my two cents, I thought it would be even better if it could tell time or perhaps have a health monitoring function like a heartbeat scanner. Even now, my friends mistake it for a watch all the time, but for those who have ever experienced a golfer’s elbow, this medical device is worth its weight in gold, and it very well may be the best golfer’s elbow treatment.

Dr. Lee, who treats many professional athletes, is a firm believer that the most effective treatment is preventing injury in the first place. Currently, dozens of the KLPGA pros wear it, but it’s not limited only to golf. Dr. Lee was quick to add that his product is essential for all manner of folks who use their wrists often in everyday life, such as programmers and new mothers caring for their child.

For me, I find that it helps to relieve my wrist from all the time on my computer and phone, as well as from playing countless rounds of virtual screen golf on unyielding golf mats.

So if your home course is strewn with deep rough and/or hardpan lies, something like the Ficor band may be just the thing to help prevent wrist and elbow injury before it happens.