How to Treat Golfer's Elbow (Inner Elbow Pain)

Written by: Nurudeen Tijani (Wellness and Pain Relief Fitness Coach)

An illustration of golfer's elbow and the wrist flexor muscles

The primary cause of pain inside the elbow is restricted wrist flexors that strain the medial elbow tendon during repetitive or strenuous activities. To prevent discomfort, maintain pliable forearms through self-myofascial release. These exercises can instantly relieve muscle restrictions and minimize the risk of injury, overuse, and inflammation.

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Table of Content:

Causes  |  Symptoms  |  Prevention  |  Treatment  |  Resources

Causes

Understanding Golfer's Elbow

Golfer's elbow, also known as medial epicondylitis, is an overuse injury causing pain at the inside part of the elbow due to inflammation of the medial elbow tendon. It can develop gradually (chronic) or occur suddenly (acute).

Various repetitive or strenuous activities can lead to this condition, including:

  • Carpentry or woodworking
  • Cooking or baking (e.g., repetitive stirring or kneading)
  • Gardening
  • Knitting or sewing
  • Lifting heavy objects
  • Painting
  • Playing golf
  • Playing musical instruments
  • Repetitive wrist or arm movements in daily tasks
  • Rock climbing
  • Rowing or kayaking
  • Throwing sports (e.g., baseball, javelin)
  • Typing or using a computer mouse
  • Using tools that require a tight grip or repetitive motion (e.g., screwdrivers, hammers)
  • Yoga (certain poses that stress the forearm flexors)


Root Cause of Golfer's Elbow

The wrist flexors can become restricted over an extended period. This restriction occurs as the muscles shorten, tighten, and tense up due to repetitive movements, muscular contraction, overuse, and a lack of myofascial release.

It is essential to understand that physical activities are not the underlying cause of this condition. For most people, the primary reason is restricted forearm and wrist flexors that strain the tendon due to a lack of myofascial release.

For a deeper understanding and guidance on golfer's elbow exercises, check out my article: Elbow Tendonitis.

Ready to eliminate pain at its source?  Yes, I'm ready to fix my elbow .

The photo below shows the wrist flexor muscles. The "X" indicated in the photo is where trigger points in the flexors tend to occur. Trigger points, known as muscle knots, are small, hyperirritable spots within a muscle. They cause pain and tenderness and can develop due to overuse, stress, or injury.

Illustration of the wrist flexor muscles, medial elbow tendon, and golfer's elbow

Symptoms

Symptoms and Diagnosis

The symptoms of golfer's elbow include:

  • A burning sensation or pain on the inner part of the elbow
  • Tenderness, swelling, and soreness in the joint
  • Sharp, shooting, sudden, severe, or dull pain on the inside part of the arm joint
  • Difficulty bending and straightening the arm
  • Weak grip strength
  • Difficulty performing movements that require wrist flexion
  • Pain that radiates from the inner arm joint down the forearm
  • Increased pain when applying pressure to the affected area
  • Stiffness and limited range of motion in the joint
  • Pain worsens with repetitive movements or gripping tasks


Muscle Tension and Golfer's Elbow

Muscle tension can contribute to golfer's elbow by causing the wrist flexors to become restricted, which increases stress on the tendons. The muscle conditions that lead to pain on the inside of the elbow develop gradually over time due to repetitive use, causing the forearm flexors to become shortened, tight, and inelastic.

Unfortunately, most people are often unaware of the restricted state of their forearm flexors until they experience a sudden onset of pain during these activities.

When the wrist flexors are chronically restricted, everyday activities that involve gripping or lifting can suddenly trigger pain without an apparent cause. This muscle restriction process can take months or even years to develop.

In the video below, I demonstrate the Pliability Test on the forearm extensors, which cause pain on the outside part of the elbow. With golfer's elbow, the same muscle conditions are likely present in the forearm flexors.

YouTube video

Prevention

Prevention Tips

The most important thing you can do to prevent golfer's elbow is to maintain pliable forearms through self-myofascial release (SMR) exercises. SMR involves using tools like foam rollers or massage balls to release tight and tense muscles, reducing the pulling tension on connective tissues and the joint. Other prevention tips include:

  • Performing thorough warm-ups and stretching exercises before activities
  • Incorporating regular rest days into your schedule
  • Ensuring adequate recovery time between sessions
  • Addressing muscle restriction by improving the flexibility of the forearms


Activities to Avoid or Modify

Avoid or modify activities that require repetitive or strenuous wrist and arm movements. They can place excessive load on the forearms and strain the joint. Examples include:

  • Carpentry or woodworking
  • Cooking or baking (e.g., repetitive stirring or kneading)
  • Gardening
  • Knitting or sewing
  • Lifting heavy objects
  • Painting
  • Playing golf
  • Repetitive wrist or arm movements in daily activities
  • Rock climbing
  • Rowing or kayaking
  • Throwing sports (e.g., baseball, javelin)
  • Typing or using a computer mouse
  • Using tools that require a tight grip or repetitive motion (e.g., screwdrivers, hammers)
  • Yoga (certain poses that stress the forearm flexors)


Alternative Activities

If you're still engaging in physical activities while recovering from golfer's elbow, consider the following:

  • Opt for low-impact movements that do not strain the forearms
  • Perform partial movements to reduce strain
  • Use less resistance and focus on performing more repetitions

Here are some alternative activities and modifications:

  • Stretching and flexibility exercises for the forearms
  • Light aerobic exercises like walking or swimming
  • Gentle yoga or Pilates
  • Resistance band exercises with light tension
  • Using ergonomic tools and equipment to reduce strain on the forearms


Compression Sleeves

Compression sleeves, such as elbow wraps, straps, and support braces, can alleviate joint discomfort from various activities. However, it's essential to consider the pros and cons:

Pros:

  • Improved blood flow and joint support
  • Enhanced proprioception and stability
  • Reduced swelling and pain during activities

Cons:

  • Masking the underlying problem without addressing the root cause can perpetuate the injury


Managing Pain Inside the Elbow During Activities

Whether or not you can continue engaging in physical activities depends on the severity of the pain. If it's mild, you can use conventional pain relief methods or short-term remedies such as sports or kinesiology tape, compression sleeves, braces, or straps to reduce discomfort. However, if the pain is chronic, severe, or causes sharp pain, it's best to treat the underlying cause before resuming activity.

In the video below, I demonstrate mobility exercises using a resistance band to warm up and strengthen the arm joint. These exercises can help with healing and recovery.

YouTube video

Treatment

Why Rest Alone Isn't Enough

The acute symptoms of golfer's elbow can subside with rest. However, the underlying factors contributing to this condition, such as restricted and tense forearm muscles, do not resolve unassisted. In fact, for many individuals, it often worsens over time.

Here's why:

  • Chronic Inflammation: Ongoing inflammation in the elbow can exacerbate symptoms and hinder recovery.
  • Magnesium Deficiency: Muscle dysfunction is often associated with magnesium deficiency. "The Magnesium Miracle," a scientific reference on the health effects of magnesium, highlights that around 40% of magnesium in the body is in the muscles. A significant portion of the population is magnesium deficient. Heavy exercise, physical activity, and factors like caffeine, stimulants, diuretics, stress, and dehydration can deplete magnesium levels. These factors are one reason why restricted muscles persist and worsen.
  • Muscle Restriction: Once muscles becomes restricted and dysfunctional, it tends to remain in that state or worsen unless specifically addressed. Chronically restricted muscles eventually become dysfunctional and stop working correctly. This condition leads to repeated injury and stress on the medial elbow tendon, resulting in chronic tendonitis (i.e., chronic golfer's elbow).


Consequences of Untreated Golfer's Elbow

  • Tendon deterioration: Left untreated, this condition can lead to degeneration of the medial elbow tendon, resulting in tendon tears or ruptures.
  • Elbow arthritis: It can contribute to autoimmune conditions like elbow arthritis.
  • Forearm, wrist, and hand issues: Restricted muscles in the forearm flexors can cause pain in the wrist, forearm, and hand.


Short-Term Relief Methods

  • Using joint supplements and vitamins
  • Taking anti-inflammatory painkillers (NSAIDs)
  • Undergoing physical therapy
  • Incorporating stretching exercises
  • Applying ice and resting the affected area
  • Applying heat to the muscles around the joint
  • Wearing elbow braces or straps
  • Using kinesiology tape
  • Applying topical anti-inflammatory solutions such as oils and creams

Check out this article for a complete list of short-term remedies and their pros and cons.


Addressing Underlying Causes

  • Self-Myofascial Release (SMR): Use massage balls to release tight forearm muscles. SMR is the fastest and most effective way to eliminate muscle tension at the source of this condition. See the SMR exercise in the section below.
  • Cold Therapy: Apply ice to relieve burning pain and reduce inflammation.
  • Heat Therapy: Wrap or apply a heat pad around the forearm to help relieve muscle tension, which can promote healing.
  • Magnesium Supplementation: Reduce inflammation and improve muscle function with magnesium.
  • Rest and Recovery: Take breaks from physical activity to allow the tendon to heal.


Golfer's Elbow Treatment Exercise

To perform this exercise, you'll need a peanut and lacrosse ball, available on Amazon or at sporting goods stores.

How to Treat Golfer's Elbow (photos below):

Massage the Forearm Flexor Muscles:

  1. Use a peanut or lacrosse ball.
  2. Sit on a chair next to a table, place the ball on the table, and position your forearm flexor muscles on top.
  3. Roll out the muscles for 3-5 minutes.
  4. Stretch the forearm flexor muscles.

Routine:

  • Perform once a day.
  • Rest the muscle the following day.
  • For faster results, perform twice a day (morning and night).
Illustration of the wrist flexors with trigger points
Nurudeen performs an exercise to treat golfer's elbow

Remember that the muscle conditions that cause pain are present in other parts of the forearm and triceps. As such, use a holistic approach and treat the entire arm to prevent other forms of tendonitis and achieve lasting relief.

If you'd like to see a demonstration of additional elbow exercises, click here to view photos.


Healing Time

With proper treatment, including cold and heat therapy, magnesium supplementation, and self-myofascial release, golfer's elbow can heal within 7-10 days. Performing SMR on the forearm muscles at least 2-3 times daily is crucial for fast results.

Get step-by-step video guidance to ensure you perform these exercises correctly and see results as fast as possible.

Ready to begin?  Yes, I'm ready to heal my elbow .

Additional Resources

For more information on managing tendon pain, explore these helpful articles:

Remember, addressing the root cause of the pain is crucial for long-term relief. Take proactive steps today to ensure your elbows stay healthy and pain-free.

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Get access to the TitaniumPhysique Program today.  Yes, I'm ready to eliminate pain .

Resources

• Elbow pain
https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/elbow-pain/basics/causes/sym-20050874

• Muscle Stiffness
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/25147-muscle-stiffness

• The Magnesium Miracle (Second Edition)
https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Magnesium_Miracle_Second_Edition.html?id=2lBcDAAAQBAJ&source=kp_book_description

• Elbow sprain - aftercare
https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/selfcare-instructions/elbow-sprain-aftercare#:~:text=Ice%20your%20elbow%20for%2015,ice%20can%20damage%20your%20skin

• Arthritis of the Elbow
https://www.cedars-sinai.org/health-library/diseases-and-conditions/a/arthritis-of-the-elbow.html

• Patient education: Elbow tendinopathy (tennis and golf elbow) (Beyond the Basics)
https://www.uptodate.com/contents/elbow-tendinopathy-tennis-and-golf-elbow-beyond-the-basics

• THE EFFECTS OF SELF‐MYOFASCIAL RELEASE USING A FOAM ROLL OR ROLLER MASSAGER ON JOINT RANGE OF MOTION, MUSCLE RECOVERY, AND PERFORMANCE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4637917/

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