Golfer’s elbow, or medial epicondylitis, is a painful condition that affects the inner side of the elbow, where the tendons of your forearm muscles attach to the bony bump called the medial epicondyle. Despite the name, it doesn’t just affect golfers — it’s also common in baseball players, carpenters, mechanics, and anyone who performs repetitive wrist flexion or gripping motions.
Overuse of these tendons leads to tiny tears and inflammation, resulting in pain, tenderness, and weakness when gripping or lifting objects. Without proper treatment, it can progress to chronic degeneration of the tendon, known as tendinosis.
At Dr. Burke Orthopedics, patients across Pearland, Houston, Friendswood, and Southeast Texas receive expert, personalized care that targets both pain relief and long-term tendon healing.
The tendons that flex your wrist and fingers attach to the inner (medial) part of the elbow. When these tendons are repeatedly strained — from swinging, lifting, or twisting — they develop small microtears. The body’s natural healing response can cause inflammation, swelling, and scarring, which leads to pain and stiffness during daily activity.
This condition mirrors tennis elbow, but it occurs on the opposite side of the joint and affects different muscles and tendons.
Common Causes and Risk Factors
While sports like golf or baseball are well-known causes, any activity involving repetitive gripping, lifting, or twisting of the wrist can lead to golfer’s elbow.
Common causes include:
- Overuse from gripping tools, weights, or racquets
- Throwing sports (pitchers, javelin throwers)
- Improper technique in lifting or swinging
- Occupational strain (plumbers, electricians, assembly workers)
- Poor posture or shoulder weakness leading to elbow overload
Risk factors:
- Age 35–60
- Repetitive use or heavy labor
- Weak wrist flexors or shoulder stabilizers
- Poor ergonomic setup (computer, workstation)
- Inadequate warm-up or recovery periods
Symptoms of golfer’s elbow typically develop gradually and can vary from mild discomfort to sharp, persistent pain.
Common symptoms include:
- Pain or tenderness on the inner (medial) elbow
- Discomfort when gripping, throwing, or flexing the wrist
- Stiffness or aching that worsens with activity
- Weak grip strength or fatigue during daily tasks
- Occasional tingling or numbness radiating to the ring and pinky fingers (when ulnar nerve irritation is present)
Pain often worsens when performing motions like swinging a golf club, shaking hands, or lifting objects with the palm facing down.
At Dr. Burke Orthopedics, Dr. Robert L. Burke, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon, conducts a thorough examination to confirm the diagnosis and rule out related conditions such as ulnar nerve compression or arthritis.
Diagnostic process includes:
- Medical history: Reviewing occupation, athletic activities, and duration of pain.
- Physical examination: Checking tenderness over the medial epicondyle and testing wrist flexion strength.
- Provocative testing: Maneuvers that reproduce symptoms, such as resisted wrist flexion.
Imaging studies:
- X-rays: Rule out fractures or bone spurs.
- Ultrasound: Detects tendon thickening or tears.
- MRI: Provides detailed visualization of soft tissue and nerve involvement.
Accurate diagnosis ensures proper treatment targeting both pain and tendon recovery.
Non-Surgical Treatments
Treatment focuses on reducing inflammation, restoring tendon strength, and preventing reinjury through a combination of conservative and, if needed, surgical options.
Non-Surgical Treatments
- Activity modification: Resting from aggravating activities while maintaining gentle motion.
- Anti-inflammatory therapy: Oral or topical NSAIDs for pain control.
- Bracing: Counterforce or wrist braces to relieve stress on the tendon.
- Eccentric and isometric strengthening of wrist extensors.
- Forearm flexibility and shoulder stabilization.
- Posture and movement training to prevent recurrence.
- Platelet-rich plasma injections use your body’s natural healing growth factors to repair microtears and reduce inflammation.
Manual therapy and ergonomics: Correcting posture and movement patterns to prevent recurrence.
These methods typically restore function within weeks when followed consistently.
Surgical Treatments
When conservative treatments fail after several months, Dr. Burke may recommend minimally invasive surgery to repair damaged tendon tissue.
Surgical options include:
- Tendon debridement: Removing degenerated or scarred tissue to promote healing.
- Tendon repair: Reattaching torn or weakened tendon fibers to the bone.
- Reconstructive Surgery: For complex injuries or chronic degeneration involving multiple structures.
Modern surgical techniques minimize incision size, preserve healthy tissue, and support faster recovery.
Recovery and Rehabilitation
Recovery varies based on treatment type and the severity of tendon injury.
Typical recovery timelines:
- Conservative treatment: 6–10 weeks for most patients.
- Surgical recovery: 3–6 months for complete healing and return to normal activity.
Rehabilitation goals:
- Decrease pain and inflammation.
- Restore full wrist and forearm mobility.
- Gradually rebuild tendon strength through guided loading.
- Correct posture and technique to avoid recurrence.
Patients who complete rehabilitation and ergonomic training typically regain full use of their arm without pain.
Long-Term Outlook and Prevention
Golfer’s elbow responds very well to early intervention and a structured rehabilitation plan.
Prevention tips:
- Warm up and stretch before activity.
- Strengthen forearm and shoulder muscles regularly.
- Avoid over-gripping or repetitive lifting without breaks.
- Ensure proper swing or lifting technique.
- Adjust workstation ergonomics for neutral wrist and elbow positioning.
Maintaining flexibility and strength is key to preventing recurrence.
When to Seek Medical Care
You should seek evaluation if:
- Pain lasts more than a few weeks despite rest.
- Daily tasks like gripping or lifting are painful.
- Numbness, tingling, or weakness develops in the hand.
- Conservative treatments fail to bring improvement.
Prompt orthopedic assessment prevents chronic tendon degeneration.
Take the First Step Toward Recovery
If elbow pain limits your ability to work, play sports, or enjoy daily life, professional care can help you heal.
At Dr. Burke Orthopedics, we provide personalized, comprehensive treatment for golfer’s elbow, helping patients regain strength, motion, and confidence.
We proudly serve Pearland, Houston, Friendswood, and Southeast Texas, offering expert orthopedic care from diagnosis through full recovery.
Call (713) 436-3488 or Request an Appointment Online to schedule a consultation with Dr. Robert L. Burke, board-certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in elbow and upper-extremity conditions.
