Golfer's elbow, known medically as medial epicondylitis, is a condition that causes pain and tenderness on the inner side of the elbow where the tendons of your forearm muscles attach to the bony bump (the medial epicondyle). Despite the name, you do not need to play golf to get it. Anyone who repeatedly grips, twists, or flexes the wrist can develop it. In India we see it commonly in office workers who type all day, homemakers who knead dough or wring wet clothes, gym-goers doing heavy bicep curls or pull-ups, cricketers, badminton players, and manual labourers.
The problem develops gradually when the same forearm movement is repeated over weeks or months without adequate rest. Tiny tears form in the tendon, and instead of healing fully, the tendon becomes irritated and degenerated. It is essentially an overload injury, which means the good news is that with the right loading programme and habit corrections, most people recover fully without injections or surgery.
Golfer's elbow pain is usually felt on the inside of the elbow and can travel down the inner forearm towards the wrist. Watch for these signs:
- Pain and tenderness on the inner elbow: The spot just below the bony bump on the inside of your elbow feels sore when pressed.
- Pain with gripping: Lifting a grocery bag, holding a coffee cup, shaking hands, or squeezing a stress ball triggers pain.
- Pain with wrist flexion: Bending the wrist downwards against resistance, or lifting with the palm facing up, reproduces the ache.
- Stiffness: The elbow may feel stiff, especially in the morning or after long periods of typing or driving.
- Weakness: Weak grip strength, dropping objects like cups or phones, and difficulty twisting jar lids are common complaints.
- Numbness or tingling: Occasionally, tingling radiates into the little finger and ring finger because the ulnar nerve runs right beside the affected area.
Both conditions are tendon overload injuries of the elbow, but they affect opposite sides. Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) causes pain on the outer side of the elbow from overuse of the wrist extensor muscles, while golfer's elbow affects the inner side through the wrist flexor muscles. The rehab principles are similar, but the exercises target different muscle groups, so getting the correct diagnosis matters. If your pain sits on the outside of the elbow instead, read our detailed tennis elbow guide for that condition.
- Repetitive gripping work: Long hours at the laptop, using a mouse, or working with hand tools.
- Household activities: Kneading atta, chopping vegetables, scrubbing utensils, or wringing clothes by hand.
- Racquet and throwing sports: Badminton, cricket bowling, golf, and tennis, especially with poor technique or an oversized grip.
- Gym training: Heavy pulling movements such as deadlifts, rows, curls, and pull-ups done with a tight grip or rapid load increases.
- Sudden workload spikes: Starting a new hobby, shifting houses, or returning to sport after a break too quickly.
- Age: Most common between 35 and 55, when tendon recovery naturally slows down.
Mild cases often settle within a few weeks with rest and simple exercises, but book an assessment at PhysioFix in JP Nagar if any of the following apply:
- Pain persists beyond two to three weeks despite rest and activity changes.
- Your grip is noticeably weak or you keep dropping things.
- You have numbness or tingling into the fingers.
- The elbow is hot, swollen, red, or painful after an injury or fever.
- Night pain or pain that keeps worsening week after week.
A physiotherapist will examine the tendon, test your grip and wrist strength, rule out nerve involvement or neck-related referred pain, and build a staged rehab plan matched to how irritable your tendon currently is.
In the early stage the goal is to reduce irritation while keeping gentle movement. Avoid heavy gripping, gym pulling work, and forceful household chores, but do not immobilise the arm completely; tendons need some load to heal.
Hold a light object (a small water bottle works well) with your palm facing up, or press one hand against the other palm. Bend the wrist slightly and hold the contraction firmly but without sharp pain.
- Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, then relax completely.
- Repeat 5 times, 2 to 3 sessions per day.
- Isometrics reduce tendon pain quickly and maintain muscle activity safely.
Extend your affected arm straight out, palm facing up. With your other hand, gently pull the fingers down and back until you feel a stretch along the inner forearm.
- Hold for 20 seconds, repeat 4 times, twice daily.
- The stretch should be mild and comfortable, never painful.
- Do it after warm showers or at the end of the day when tissues feel less stiff.
If pain flares after unavoidable gripping work, apply an ice pack wrapped in a thin cloth over the inner elbow for 10 minutes. Ice does not heal the tendon but eases pain so you can stay active.
Once daily activities settle, progressive strengthening becomes the main treatment. Tendons adapt only when loaded steadily, so consistency matters more than intensity.
Sit with your forearm supported on a table or thigh, palm facing up, holding a very light dumbbell or a 500 ml bottle. Use your other hand to help lift the wrist up, then lower it slowly using only the affected arm.
- Lower over 4 to 5 seconds, 10 repetitions, 3 sets, once daily.
- Start with 0.5 kg and increase weight only when all sets feel easy and pain-free next day.
- Eccentric lowering is the key part; slow controlled loading stimulates tendon remodelling.
Hold a light hammer or bottle upright with your thumb pointing up, elbow bent at 90 degrees tucked beside your body. Slowly rotate your forearm so the palm faces up, then down.
- 10 slow rotations each way, 2 sets, once daily.
- Keep the movement smooth; this builds rotational strength used in cooking, driving, and racquet sports.
Squeeze a soft sponge ball or therapy putty comfortably, hold for 5 seconds, and release.
- 10 squeezes, 3 sets, once daily.
- Pain should stay under 3 out of 10 and settle within 24 hours; if it does not, reduce the effort.
Once everyday tasks are pain-free, gradually reintroduce your sport or gym routine. Start at roughly half your previous volume, keep grip pressure relaxed rather than crushing, and increase weekly load by no more than about 10 percent. Cricketers and badminton players should check technique and grip size with a coach; gym-goers should favour straps for heavy pulling sets during the transition and avoid sudden jumps in curl or row weights. Warm up forearms with the stretches above before every session.
- Fix your workstation: Keep wrists neutral while typing, elbows close to the body at about 90 degrees, and take a 30-second stretch break every 45 minutes.
- Lighten household loads: Use two smaller bags instead of one heavy bag, and alternate hands while scrubbing or kneading.
- Warm up before sport: Cold tendons handle load poorly. Two minutes of wrist circles and stretches makes a real difference.
- Do not fully rest: Complete rest weakens the tendon further. Modify painful activities instead of stopping everything.
- Be patient: Tendon remodeling takes six to eight weeks minimum. Stopping exercises as soon as pain fades is the most common reason symptoms return.
Most golfer's elbow cases recover well with structured conservative care, and surgery is rarely needed. At PhysioFix, JP Nagar, Bangalore, Dr.Nishmitha.R provides a full assessment, hands-on treatment to ease soft tissue tightness, ultrasound-guided progression of your loading programme, taping or bracing advice where helpful, and a personalised return-to-sport plan. If elbow pain has been limiting your work, gym sessions, or game for more than a couple of weeks, book a consultation and start a rehab plan built around your goals.
