Golfer’s elbow, also known as medial epicondylalgia, causes pain and tenderness around the inside of the elbow. Despite the name, you don’t need to play golf to develop it. It commonly affects people whose work, sport or hobbies involve repeated gripping, wrist movement or forearm rotation.
Symptoms
Common symptoms include:
- Pain or tenderness on the inside of the elbow
- Pain that travels down the inner forearm towards the wrist or fingers
- Discomfort when gripping, lifting or carrying
- Pain when bending the wrist or turning the palm down against resistance
- Reduced hand or grip strength
Symptoms may begin gradually and can become more noticeable when completing repetitive tasks.
Causes
Golfer’s elbow develops when the tendons on the inside of the elbow are repeatedly placed under more strain than they can comfortably manage.
Activities involving forceful gripping, repeated wrist bending or twisting of the forearm can overload the tendon. Over time, this may lead to small changes within the tendon that make it more sensitive and less able to tolerate everyday demands.
Common contributing activities can include:
- Sudden increases in training or workload
- Golf, racket sports and weight training
- Manual or repetitive work
- Frequent use of tools
- Gardening and DIY
- Repeated lifting or carrying
Diagnosis
Golfer’s elbow can usually be diagnosed through a detailed clinical assessment.
Your clinician will discuss your symptoms, work, hobbies and activity levels before assessing your elbow, wrist and forearm. They may also test your grip strength using K-Force technology and how the elbow responds to resisted wrist and forearm movements.
This helps us understand what’s driving your symptoms and create a personalised rehabilitation plan.
Treatment Options
Treatment focuses on settling your symptoms while gradually improving the strength and resilience of the affected tendon.
Tailored exercise rehabilitation
A progressive strengthening programme is usually the main part of treatment. Your exercises will be adapted to your current ability and gradually progressed so your arm can better manage the demands of your work, sport and daily life.
Activity and load management
You may not need to stop every aggravating activity. We’ll help you identify which movements need temporarily reducing or adapting while keeping you as active as possible.
Laser therapy
Laser therapy may be used alongside rehabilitation to help reduce pain and improve grip strength.
Shockwave therapy
For persistent symptoms, shockwave therapy may be considered to stimulate the tendon and support the body’s natural recovery response.
Medical acupuncture
Medical acupuncture may help with pain relief, muscle relaxation and symptom management as part of a wider rehabilitation programme.
Recovery Timelines
Tendon recovery is usually gradual rather than immediate. Your recovery time will depend on how long you’ve had symptoms, the demands placed on your arm and how consistently you follow your rehabilitation plan.
Some people notice early improvements in pain and function within several weeks. Longer-standing cases may require a number of months of progressive strengthening before the tendon feels fully resilient again.
We’ll monitor your progress and adjust your programme as your grip strength, movement and confidence improve.
When to Seek Help
Book an assessment when elbow pain is affecting your work, exercise, sleep or ability to grip and lift comfortably.
You should also seek advice when:
- Your pain is getting progressively worse
- Symptoms followed a significant injury
- You have marked weakness, swelling or loss of movement
- You experience persistent numbness or tingling
- Your symptoms aren’t improving with rest and simple activity changes
Our experienced team can identify the likely cause of your symptoms and provide a clear, tailored plan to support your recovery.
Not sure where to start? Let’s chat about your recovery goals.
Clinically Reviewed By
Phil Williams
Director and Consultant Physiotherapist
You Don’t Need to Suffer with Golfer’s Elbow Pain
Elbow pain shouldn’t stop you from staying active, lifting without discomfort, or doing the things you enjoy. At Great Northern Physiotherapy, we’ll help you understand what is causing your pain and create a tailored plan to get you moving and gripping with confidence again.
Book your initial assessment and take the first step toward pain-free movement.
Golfer’s ELBOW PAIN FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
It is now generally considered more of a gradual tendon overload or wear-and-repair problem than a purely inflammatory condition.
Not always. Complete rest can reduce the tendon’s capacity further. Your clinician can help you modify aggravating activities while introducing safe, progressive strengthening.
A brace may provide temporary relief for some people, particularly during gripping tasks. It is usually most effective when combined with a structured rehabilitation programme.
It can return if activity levels increase too quickly or the tendon hasn’t rebuilt enough strength. Progressive rehabilitation can help reduce this risk.
Most cases can be diagnosed clinically. Imaging may be considered when symptoms are unusual, follow significant trauma or aren’t improving as expected.
Related PHYSIO SERVICES
To support your recovery, your physiotherapist may recommend one or more of our related services:
Book your initial assessment and take the first step toward pain-free movement.