Golfer's Elbow: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

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Have you ever felt a sharp twinge on the inside of your elbow after a weekend on the links?

Golfer’s elbow, or medial epicondylitis, is an overuse injury of the tendons that flex the wrist and fingers. It causes pain and tenderness around the bony bump on the inside of your elbow, often worsening with gripping or wrist-flexion activities.

Understanding what triggers this tendon irritation—and how to address it at home—can help you swing pain-free again.

What Is Golfer’s Elbow?

Golfer’s elbow happens when the tendons that connect your forearm muscles to the inner bump of your elbow get irritated from overuse. These tendons help bend your wrist and grip objects. Small tears build up over time, leading to pain, stiffness, and weakness in the inner elbow. The condition accounts for about 10–20% of all epicondylitis cases and is most common in people aged 45–64 (Li et al., 2026). Although often associated with sports like golf, most cases occur in non-athletes due to repetitive gripping, heavy lifting, or using vibrating tools (Li et al., 2026).

Causes and Risk Factors

• Repetitive wrist-flexion activities (e.g., golf swing, racket sports) (Cleveland Clinic, 2025).
• Poor swing technique or incorrect grip size.
• Age-related tendon wear and tear after age 40.
• Occupational exposures to vibrating tools or heavy manual labor.

Symptoms and Diagnosis

• Pain and tenderness at the inner elbow, especially when bending the wrist or gripping objects.
• Morning stiffness or discomfort after rest.
• In severe cases, numbness or tingling that radiates into the fingers.

Doctors diagnose golfer’s elbow based on your history and a physical exam. If symptoms persist or are unclear, imaging tests—such as MRI, ultrasound, or CT scans—may confirm tendon damage (Cleveland Clinic, 2025).

Self-Management Strategies

Rest and Activity Modification

Take a break from activities that worsen pain. Swap full golf swings for shorter, controlled practice swings until tenderness fades.

Ice and Compression

Apply ice to the inner elbow for 15–20 minutes at a time, 3–4 times a day, to reduce pain (Mayo Clinic, 2026).

Supportive Bracing

Wearing a counterforce brace just below the elbow can help redistribute stress on the irritated tendons.

Rehabilitation Exercises

When acute pain decreases, progress through these phases:

Phase 1: Gentle Stretching

• Wrist extensor stretch: Extend your arm straight out in front with your palm down. Use your other hand to gently bend your wrist downward until you feel a stretch on the top of your forearm. Hold for 20–30 seconds. Perform 3 reps per side.
• Wrist flexor stretch: Extend your arm straight out in front with your palm up. Use your other hand to gently pull your fingers back until you feel a stretch inside your forearm. Hold for 20–30 seconds. Perform 3 reps per side.

Phase 2: Isometric Strengthening

• Palm press: Place your palm flat on a table or wall and press downward as if bending your wrist, but keep your wrist still; hold for 10 seconds. Perform 5 reps.

Phase 3: Eccentric Strengthening

• Eccentric wrist curl: Sit with your forearm supported on a bench or your thigh and hold a light dumbbell with your palm facing up. Use your other hand to lift the weight, then slowly lower it over 3–5 seconds. Complete 3 sets of 15 reps.

For detailed routines, check our guides on Tennis Elbow Stretches and Wrist Pain Exercises.

Advanced Treatment Options

High-quality clinical trials for medial epicondylitis treatments are limited, so many insights come from research on lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow), a tendon disorder with similar pathology. Speak with your healthcare provider before considering injections, medications, or other advanced therapies.

For example, in a randomized clinical trial, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections led to a 91% reduction in pain scores and a 54.4% functional improvement at six months (Varshney et al., 2017). Patients treated with corticosteroid injections in the same trial experienced a 42.2% decrease in pain and a 1.3% gain in function (Varshney et al., 2017).

Extracorporeal shockwave therapy, which uses focused sound waves to stimulate tissue repair, has demonstrated pain reduction in lateral epicondylitis in a randomized controlled trial (Aydin et al., 2018). Evidence specific to medial epicondylitis is emerging, though trials are limited.

Ultrasound-guided tenotomy is a minimally invasive procedure in which a clinician uses ultrasound imaging to guide a needle or probe to remove or break apart damaged tendon tissue. This approach is under investigation for medial epicondylitis, but clinical data remain very limited (Strauser-Curtis et al., 2022).

Prevention Tips for Golfers and Active Professionals

• Strengthen forearm muscles with ball squeezes, wrist curls, and reverse wrist curls (AAOS, 2025).
• Warm up with wrist and forearm stretches before play.
• Check your grip size and club weight.
• Maintain proper swing mechanics, weight shift, and equipment settings to avoid overuse (HSS, 2024).
• Gradually increase practice intensity and duration.

Frequently Asked Questions about Golfer’s Elbow

How long does Golfer’s Elbow take to heal?

Recovery can take time — often several months or even longer — with rest, ice, and self-care (Mayo Clinic, 2026).

Can I continue playing golf with Golfer’s Elbow?

You can resume limited practice using pain-free swings and supportive bracing. Avoid full competitive play until symptoms resolve to prevent worsening.

When should I see a healthcare professional?

Consult a professional if pain doesn't improve with a couple of weeks of self-care, worsens despite rest, or if you experience significant weakness, numbness, or loss of function.

Conclusion

Golfer’s elbow is an overuse tendinopathy that responds well to early rest, targeted self-care, and a structured rehabilitation plan. By combining proper technique, equipment checks, and phase-based exercises, you can restore pain-free function and protect your elbow long-term. To gain deeper insights into your musculoskeletal health and lean mass distribution—which can influence tendon resilience—consider scheduling a BodySpec DEXA scan. Explore our Find a DEXA Scan Near You page to learn more.