Golfer’s elbow, known as medial epicondylitis, is pain on the inside of the elbow where the forearm tendons that bend the wrist and fingers attach to the bone. It’s usually brought on by repetitive or heavy gripping, lifting and wrist movements, and it can make everyday things like carrying shopping, shaking hands or turning a door handle uncomfortable. Like most tendon problems, it responds best to progressive loading rather than rest alone.
Understanding golfer’s elbow
The tendons on the inside of the elbow, called the flexor-pronator tendons, work whenever you grip, bend your wrist or turn your palm down. When these tendons are repeatedly loaded, particularly in forceful or awkward movements like a golf swing, throwing or heavy lifting, they can become overloaded and change structurally. The pain comes from a tendon that’s been asked to do more than it’s currently conditioned for, rather than simple inflammation.
Common triggers include:
- A sudden increase in golf, racquet sports, throwing, climbing or gym training
- Heavy or repetitive gripping, including manual work and trade tools
- Changes in equipment, such as grip size or racquet
- Technique factors in swinging and throwing
- Previous tendon problems
Symptoms we commonly see
- Pain on the inner side of the elbow, sometimes spreading into the forearm
- Pain gripping, lifting, shaking hands or carrying
- Pain with wrist flexion or turning the palm down against resistance
- Tenderness over the bony bump on the inside of the elbow
- Stiffness and aching after activity or in the morning
- Sometimes tingling in the ring and little fingers, which suggests the nearby ulnar nerve may be involved
Our evidence-based approach
Reviews of golfer’s elbow describe non-surgical care as the first step, with activity modification and then rehabilitation of the forearm muscles once the acute pain has settled. This matches current thinking about tendon problems generally, where progressive loading is the cornerstone. Our approach includes:
- Assessment of the elbow, wrist, shoulder and neck, to confirm golfer’s elbow and rule out nerve involvement and other causes of elbow pain
- Load management, so you can keep doing most of what you need without repeatedly aggravating the tendon
- Isometric holds where they reduce pain and make loading easier
- Progressive strengthening of the wrist flexors, forearm and grip, building up to the demands of your sport or job
- Shoulder and upper body strengthening, because the whole arm shares the load
- Technique and equipment advice, such as grip size, swing, throwing mechanics or tool use
- Hands-on treatment or dry needling where they help you exercise more comfortably
- A graded return to golf, lifting, climbing, racquet sports or work
See our tendon pain page for how we manage tendon problems more broadly.
What to expect: recovery timeline
- Early cases: often improve over several weeks once load is managed and loading starts
- Established cases: typically take around three months of consistent rehab for meaningful change
- Long-standing cases: can take six months or more, which is why starting early and staying consistent matters
When to seek help urgently
Get assessed promptly if your elbow pain follows a fall or a sudden pop, your elbow is hot, red and swollen, or you have constant numbness, weakness or loss of grip. Pain spreading from your neck down the arm should also be assessed.
References
- Amin NH, et al. Medial epicondylitis: evaluation and management. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2015;23(6):348-355.
- Coombes BK, Bisset L, Vicenzino B. Management of lateral elbow tendinopathy: one size does not fit all. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2015;45(11):938-949.
- Millar NL, Silbernagel KG, Thorborg K, et al. Tendinopathy. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2021;7:1.