Golfers Elbow Vs Tennis Elbow
Elbow pain can make everyday activities such as lifting, typing, gardening, DIY or playing sport surprisingly difficult. Two of the most common causes are Golfer’s Elbow and Tennis Elbow. Despite their names, you don’t have to play golf or tennis to develop either condition.
What is the difference?
Golfer’s Elbow (Medial Epicondylitis)
Golfer’s Elbow is caused by irritation of the tendons that bend your wrist and fingers (the wrist flexor tendons) where they attach to the inside of the elbow.
Common symptoms include:
- Pain or tenderness on the inside of the elbow
- Pain when lifting or gripping with your palm facing upwards
- Stiffness around the elbow
- Occasionally, pins and needles into the hand or fingers (although this is less common)
Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis)
Tennis Elbow affects the tendons that straighten your wrist and fingers (the wrist extensor tendons), where they attach to the outside of the elbow.
Common symptoms include:
- A dull ache or burning sensation around the elbow
- Sharp pain on the outside of the elbow
- Reduced grip strength
- Pain when lifting, pouring or shaking hands
What causes Tennis and Golfer’s Elbow?
Both conditions are usually caused by repetitive overload rather than a single injury. When the tendons are repeatedly stressed without enough recovery time, they can become irritated and painful.
Common causes include:
- Repetitive lifting or carrying
- DIY and manual trades
- Racquet sports
- Golf
- Weight training
- Typing and prolonged computer work
- Gardening and household chores
Why do sports people develop these injuries?
Sport often places repeated stress through the forearm muscles and tendons. If this load increases too quickly, the tendon may struggle to cope.
Common risk factors include:
- Poor technique (such as a faulty tennis backhand or golf swing)
- Weak forearm muscles
- Changes in equipment or grip size
- Poorly strung racquets
- Sudden increases in training volume
For example, if you haven’t played tennis for six months and then play every day during a week’s holiday, the sudden increase in load can significantly increase your risk of developing Tennis Elbow.
What can I do to help?
In the early stages, you can often reduce symptoms by:
- Resting or modifying painful activities
- Applying ice to help reduce pain
- Taking appropriate pain relief (if suitable for you)
- Improving your workstation ergonomics, including your chair, keyboard and mouse setup
Load management is key
One of the most important parts of recovery is load management. Rather than complete rest, it’s usually better to reduce and gradually reintroduce activities that aggravate your symptoms.
This may involve:
- Taking regular breaks
- Pacing household jobs or DIY
- Gradually returning to sport
- Avoiding repeated heavy lifting until symptoms improve
How can I prevent Tennis or Golfer’s Elbow?
Simple changes can greatly reduce your risk of developing these conditions:
- Warm up for 10–15 minutes before sport with gentle wrist and forearm mobility exercises
- Improve your technique for activities such as tennis, golf or weightlifting
- Keep your wrists in a neutral position during lifting where possible
- Alternate heavy training sessions with recovery days
- Ensure your tennis racquet is correctly strung and fitted with the right grip size
- Use ergonomic tools where appropriate
- Include regular strengthening exercises for your wrist, forearm, elbow and shoulder muscles
How can physiotherapy help?
Physiotherapy is highly effective in treating both Tennis Elbow and Golfer’s Elbow.
During your assessment, your physiotherapist will:
- Identify the exact cause of your pain
- Assess the affected tendon and surrounding muscles
- Look for contributing factors such as weakness, poor movement patterns or excessive loading
- Explain your diagnosis and recovery plan
Treatment is tailored to your individual needs and may include:
- Hands-on treatment
- Progressive strengthening exercises
- Tendon loading programmes
- Activity and load management advice
- Bracing or taping to help reduce strain on the tendon
The aim is not only to reduce your pain but also to improve the tendon’s ability to tolerate load, helping to reduce the risk of the problem returning.
Whether your goal is getting back to work, returning to the gym or enjoying your favourite sport again, our experienced physiotherapists will guide you through every stage of your recovery.
Book an Assessment
If you’re struggling with elbow pain, don’t ignore it.
Contact Shawe Physio today on 01992 451849 to book an Initial Assessment with one of our expert physiotherapists. Early treatment can help you recover faster and prevent a minor problem from becoming a long-term injury.