Golfer’s Elbow: Symptoms and Treatments

Golfer’s elbow, clinically referred to as medial epicondylitis, is a painful condition which affects the inside of the elbow. It is the inflammation of the tendons in this area, specifically the tendons that flex the wrist and hand. Golfer’s elbow is caused by overuse and repetitive movements, especially movements that involve bending, twisting, or gripping.

Boston Hand to Shoulder’s team of elbow specialists are capable of treating all cases of golfer’s elbow, improving your quality of life.

There are multiple symptoms which can present themselves in cases of golfer’s elbow. The most common include:

Pain and tenderness of the inner elbow
Pain that radiates down from the elbow into the forearm and fingers
Pain in the elbow when gripping, twisting, or bending the wrist
Pain in the elbow when engaging in repetitive motions
Weakness in the grip and forearm muscles
Tingling or numbness in the ring and little fingers
Swelling of the elbow
Stiffness of the elbow

If you have golfer’s elbow, you will likely experience one or more of the above symptoms. It is important to seek treatment to prevent symptoms from worsening.

Fortunately, there are a number of treatments available to those suffering from golfer’s elbow. Such treatments include:

Rest: Avoiding repetitive movements can cause golfer’s elbow to subside.
Ice: Applying ice packs for 15-20 minutes several times a day can reduce inflammation and pain.
Strong: NSAIDs are commonly used to reduce pain and swelling.
Physical Therapy: Certain exercises can be used to alleviate the symptoms of golfer’s elbow.
Golfer's Elbow Brace: A counterforce brace can be used to offload the tendon and reduce pressure on the elbow.
Corticosteroid Injection: These injections are used to reduce swelling and pain in the elbow.
Surgery: Surgical intervention is only considered if less invasive treatments are unsuccessful for 6-12 months.

One of our specialists can evaluate your specific case and determine which treatment options will be most effective.

As mentioned, physical therapy is often very successful when it comes to treating golfer’s elbow. The specific exercises that are used include:

Wrist Curls: This involves holding a weight with your palm facing up and curling your wrist up. Then, slowly lowering it back down.
Isometric Wrist Flexion: In this exercise, you will sit with your forearm resting on a surface. You will then use your opposite hand to press down on your affected hand, creating resistance, holding for a few seconds.
Resisted Wrist Flexion: This involves using a resistance band or weight to resist the wrist flexion movement.
Forearm Supination/Pronation: In this exercise, you simply rotate your forearm and wrist in a supinated and pronated position.

One of our elbow specialists can determine which of these exercises will be most beneficial to you, as well as teach you the proper form when utilizing them.

Golfer’s elbow and tennis elbow are often mistaken for one another. This is because they often cause similar symptoms in those suffering from them. However, there is one large difference between the two. This key difference lies in the location. Golfer's elbow affects the inside (medial) epicondyle, while tennis elbow affects the outside (lateral) epicondyle. In layman's terms, golfer's elbow affects the inside of the elbow, while tennis elbow affects the outside of the elbow.

If you have any doubt regarding which you are suffering from, don’t worry. Our elbow specialists can reliably diagnose and treat either condition.