Key Takeaways
- Golfer’s elbow treatment should address the underlying cause of tendon overload, not just relieve pain on the inner side of the elbow.
- Despite its name, golfer’s elbow is more commonly caused by repetitive gripping, lifting, manual work, or gym training than by playing golf.
- Physiotherapy typically progresses through stages, from calming the tendon and managing pain to restoring strength and gradually returning to normal activities.
- Most people recover with conservative treatment, which may include physiotherapy, activity modification, pain-relief medication, or other non-surgical approaches.
- Early assessment can help identify whether your symptoms are caused by golfer’s elbow or another condition affecting the inner elbow, allowing rehabilitation to be tailored accordingly.
Introduction
Golfer’s elbow is an overuse injury that often starts quietly. You may first notice a mild ache on the inside of your elbow during gripping or lifting, only for it to gradually become more noticeable after repetitive movement.
At The Movement Laboratory, treatment for golfer’s elbow often begins with understanding the underlying cause. Our physiotherapists will assess your movement, strength, and daily demands before deciding how rehabilitation should progress.
What is Golfer’s Elbow?
Golfer’s elbow, or medial epicondylitis, is an overuse injury that develops when repeated strain causes micro-tearing and degeneration in the tendons on the inner side of the elbow. This occurs when the wrist flexor muscles, which are responsible for bending the wrist and gripping, undergo repeated strain, affecting the tendons over time.
Despite its name, more than 90% of cases are non–sports-related. Common contributing factors include:
- Repetitive forceful gripping
- Manual handling of heavy loads
- Use of vibrating tools
- Labour-intensive work, such as plumbing, carpentry, and construction
Tobacco use and type 2 diabetes have also been associated with a higher risk of developing tendinopathy, including medial epicondylitis.
However, it is important to remember that inner elbow pain can have a variety of causes, including tendon irritation, nerve involvement, ligament injuries, or problems within the elbow joint itself. A medical assessment is needed to identify the exact cause and tailor treatment.
Golfer’s Elbow vs Tennis Elbow: What’s the Difference?
Although both golfer’s elbow and tennis elbow involve tendon overload around the same joint, the muscles affected and the movements that aggravate symptoms are different.
| Feature | Golfer’s Elbow | Tennis Elbow |
|---|---|---|
| Pain location | Inner elbow | Outer elbow |
| Main tendon group | Wrist flexors | Wrist extensors |
| Common triggers | Gripping, pulling, wrist bending | Lifting, gripping, wrist extension |
| Often linked to | Golf, gym work, manual tasks | Tennis, racquet sports, repetitive lifting |
How Do Physiotherapists Support Recovery?
There is no single treatment programme that works for every case of golfer’s elbow. At The Movement Laboratory, we will assess your symptoms, strength, and range of movement before tailoring a suitable physiotherapy programme.
Phase 1: Pain Relief and Calming the Tendon
Early on, the priority is usually to reduce the movements that keep provoking the same area without making the arm completely inactive. For example, if gripping a dumbbell, carrying a laptop bag, or repeated wrist flexion brings on pain, we may adjust the load, range, or frequency rather than remove the task altogether.
Physiotherapists may introduce isometric wrist flexion exercises at this stage because they allow the forearm muscles to work without repeatedly moving through an irritated range. Other techniques, like sports massage therapy and bracing, may also be used to make movement more comfortable.
Phase 2: Mobility and Progressive Loading
Once everyday movements begin to cause less irritation, our focus will shift to increasing the elbow’s mobility and helping it regain function.
This is where physiotherapy plans for golfer’s elbow may introduce exercises like grip strengthening, wrist flexor strengthening, and pronator teres strengthening to help improve forearm control and build capacity around the inner elbow. We may also integrate eccentric loading, where the wrist flexor muscles work while slowly lengthening, such as when gradually lowering a weight.
For a visual guide to some of these exercises, you can refer to this video. Our physiotherapists will also guide you on the appropriate technique, resistance, and progression based on how your elbow responds.
Phase 3: Strengthening and Return to Activity
In the final phase of our sports physiotherapy programmes, we may start introducing activities and exercises that help you return to your regular routines.
For someone returning to the gym, that may mean heavier pulling, carrying, or gripping work. For golfers, it may involve building tolerance for repeated swings and higher-speed loading. Shoulder and upper-arm strength may also be included where needed, especially if weakness elsewhere is increasing the demand on the elbow.
Here, the goal is to help your arm better cope with repeated, real-world loading without symptoms flaring again.
Other Treatment Options for Golfer’s Elbow
In general, conservative management remains the main course of treatment for golfer’s elbow, with an estimated 85% to 95% of people improving with non-surgical treatment. In addition to physiotherapy, this may include:
- Topical and/or oral NSAIDs: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen and diclofenac may help reduce pain in the short term, particularly if symptoms are affecting your daily activities.
- Corticosteroid injections: These may be considered for persistent pain in selected cases. While they can provide short-term symptom relief, they are generally used alongside a structured rehabilitation programme rather than as a standalone treatment.
Surgery is uncommon and is generally reserved for people whose symptoms continue despite several months of appropriate conservative treatment.
Conclusion
Golfer’s elbow usually improves with conservative care, but recovery depends on gradually rebuilding the tendon’s ability to handle gripping, lifting, pulling, and other everyday loads.
At The Movement Laboratory, a physiotherapist clinic in Singapore, we consider what is provoking your symptoms, how much strength you have lost, and which activities you are trying to return to. Our MOH-registered physiotherapists will also take into account the realities of living and working in Singapore, from long hours at a desk to gym routines, commuting, and other daily demands, so your rehabilitation fits more naturally into everyday life.
For more information on our approach, feel free to contact us today.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How long does golfer’s elbow take to recover?
Golfer’s elbow can take between three and six months to heal, depending on the degree of tendon strain and the frequency of overloading. Stretching and exercises during physiotherapy can help speed up the healing process and improve flexibility.
2. Can I still exercise with golfer’s elbow?
In many cases, yes. You may need to reduce or modify exercises that strongly aggravate gripping, pulling, or wrist flexion, but complete rest is not always necessary. A physiotherapist can help you adjust training while keeping the arm active.
3. Does golfer’s elbow come back after treatment?
It can, particularly if you return too quickly to the same gripping, lifting, or sporting loads that irritated the tendon in the first place. Gradually rebuilding forearm strength, improving technique, and increasing training volume in stages can help reduce recurrence.
Sports massage therapy can also support injury prevention by improving your flexibility and helping identify areas of muscle tightness or imbalance that could place extra strain on the elbow during training.
References:
- Li, D., Hammad, A., & Kaiser, K. (2026, January 2). Medial epicondylitis (Golfer’s elbow). StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519000/
- Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG). (2025, December 18). Overview: Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow. InformedHealth.org – NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK506998/
- DeLuca, M. K., Cage, E., Stokey, P. J., & Ebraheim, N. A. (2023). Medial epicondylitis: Current diagnosis and treatment options. Journal of Orthopaedic Reports, 2(3), 100172. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jorep.2023.100172