Overview
Golfer’s elbow is pain and reduced load tolerance where the forearm’s common flexor-pronator tendon attaches to the medial epicondyle on the inside of the elbow.
Golf can provoke it, but so can climbing, throwing, weight training, repetitive tool use and any sudden increase in gripping or wrist-flexion load.
What It Usually Feels Like
- Local tenderness at the inside elbow
- Pain gripping or carrying
- Pain bending the wrist or turning the palm downward against resistance
- Aching into the upper inner forearm
- Symptoms that worsen as repeated work or training continues
Tingling into the ring and little fingers points more toward cubital tunnel syndrome. Throwers may also overload the ulnar collateral ligament. These problems can overlap.
What Often Helps
- Reduce the most aggravating workload without stopping all arm use
- Maintain comfortable elbow, wrist and forearm movement
- Build wrist-flexor, pronator and grip strength progressively
- Reintroduce throwing, climbing or tool use in measured steps
- Avoid increasing load, repetitions and frequency simultaneously
Braces may reduce symptoms for some people during activity, but they do not replace progressive strengthening and workload management.
When to Get It Assessed
Seek assessment after a sudden throwing injury or pop, with major bruising or instability, with persistent hand tingling or weakness, or when symptoms are not improving despite sensible load changes.
Related Guidance
- Golfer's elbow stretch — gentle stretch for the inner-forearm flexors
- Tennis elbow stretch — the mirror stretch for the outer elbow
- General elbow loading principles — graded strengthening approach
- Golfer's elbow recovery timeline — what recovery typically looks like
References
- AAOS OrthoInfo. “Therapeutic Exercise Program for Epicondylitis.” https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/globalassets/pdfs/2024-therapeutic-exercise-program-for-lateral-and-medial-epicondylitis.pdf
- StatPearls. “Medial Epicondylitis.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557869/