If you've been experiencing persistent elbow pain, you might have heard about two common conditions: tennis elbow and golfer's elbow. Although both conditions involve repetitive strain and cause discomfort in your elbow joint, understanding the key differences is crucial for effective treatment and a faster recovery.
At Interventional Pain & Spine in Wexford, PA, triple board-certified pain specialist Dr. Mohammad Ali offers comprehensive diagnostic care and personalized treatment options for both tennis and golfer’s elbow. Whether your elbow pain comes from tennis, golf, or everyday activities, we are committed to helping you regain strength, mobility, and comfort.
Let's explore how tennis elbow differs from golfer's elbow, their specific symptoms, causes, treatments, and how our team can help you find relief.
Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis)
Tennis elbow, medically known as lateral epicondylitis, is a common elbow injury resulting from repetitive strain and overuse of the forearm muscles. Specifically, it affects the outer elbow area (lateral elbow), causing pain when performing wrist extension or gripping motions.
Common Causes and Risk Factors
Despite its name, tennis elbow isn’t limited to tennis players. Although playing racket sports can increase your risk, any repetitive activity involving gripping and wrist movements—such as painting, using hand tools, gardening, typing, or even cooking—can lead to tennis elbow. Poor form or improper ergonomics also increase the likelihood of developing tennis elbow.
Symptom Differences and Diagnostic Clues
Common tennis elbow symptoms include:
- Pain or tenderness on the outer elbow, which may radiate down the forearm.
- Weakness or difficulty gripping objects, turning doorknobs, or shaking hands.
- Discomfort that worsens with wrist extension, such as when lifting objects or playing tennis.
- Severe pain in more advanced cases.
During a physical exam, your provider may apply pressure to your lateral elbow or ask you to extend your wrist against resistance to identify pain and pinpoint tiny tears in the wrist extensors.
Golfer’s Elbow (Medial Epicondylitis)
Golfer's elbow, or medial epicondylitis, affects the tendons on the inner elbow (medial side), opposite to tennis elbow. It involves repetitive stress injuries of the wrist flexors, causing pain along the inner side of the elbow.
Common Causes and Risk Factors
You don’t have to play golf to develop golfer’s elbow. While the repetitive motion of swinging a golf club is a known cause, other repetitive activities such as throwing sports, weightlifting, manual labor, and even typing or prolonged writing can also lead to medial epicondylitis. Like tennis elbow, poor form and repetitive strain increase your risk of developing golfer's elbow.
Symptom Differences and Diagnostic Clues
Golfer’s elbow symptoms typically include:
- Pain and tenderness along the inner elbow.
- Pain that worsens with wrist flexion or gripping motions, such as squeezing a golf club or making a fist.
- Stiffness or weakness in the forearm muscles, especially in your dominant arm.
- Tingling or numbness that occasionally radiates into the fingers.
A physical exam usually involves checking for pain or discomfort while flexing your wrist or fingers, making a fist, or performing other movements that stress the wrist flexors.
Key Differences Between Tennis and Golfer’s Elbow
Although tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow are both overuse injuries that affect the elbow joint, they involve different tendons and present in distinct areas of the arm. The primary difference lies in the location of pain and the muscle groups involved.
- Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis): Pain occurs on the outer (lateral) side of the elbow and is caused by strain or tiny tears in the wrist extensor tendons, which help straighten the wrist and fingers.
- Golfer’s Elbow (Medial Epicondylitis): Pain presents on the inner (medial) side of the elbow, affecting the wrist flexor tendons that allow the wrist and fingers to bend.
While both conditions may cause forearm discomfort, weakened grip strength, and increased pain with specific wrist motions, understanding the location of symptoms and the involved muscle groups is key to accurate diagnosis and proper treatment.
Effective Treatment Approaches
Whether you're experiencing tennis elbow or golfer's elbow pain, proper treatment involves:
- Rest and Activity Modification: Reducing or temporarily stopping activities causing pain helps allow the affected area to heal.
- Ice Therapy: Regular application of an ice pack helps reduce inflammation and relieve pain.
- Physical Therapy: We strongly recommend physical therapy for targeted stretches, range-of-motion exercises, and gradual strengthening of the forearm muscles.
- Bracing and Support: Using braces or compression bands can help alleviate strain on the elbow and allow tendons to recover.
- Pain Relievers: Over-the-counter or prescribed pain medications can relieve discomfort in severe cases.
- Regenerative Medicine: In certain situations, treatments that concentrate platelets (such as PRP therapy) can promote faster healing of the tendons and other tissues.
If conservative treatments fail and pain persists, minimally invasive medical options like steroid injections or regenerative therapies may be considered.
Prevention Strategies for Athletes and Active Individuals
Preventing tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow starts with reducing repetitive stress on the forearm tendons and promoting safe movement patterns. Whether you’re an athlete or engage in frequent upper limb activity, these strategies can help protect your elbow health:
- Warm Up Before Activity: Begin each session with dynamic stretching and gentle movement to prepare the forearm muscles and tendons for activity, especially before playing tennis or golf.
- Strengthen the Forearm: Incorporate light resistance exercises that target the wrist flexors and extensors to build tendon resilience and improve joint stability over time.
- Use Proper Technique: Poor form increases strain on the elbow. Work with a coach or physical therapist to refine your swing mechanics or daily movement patterns to minimise excessive stress.
- Choose the Right Equipment: Select gear that fits your body and activity—such as a racket with the correct grip size or golf clubs with appropriate weight—to decrease unnecessary pressure on the elbow joint.
- Prioritise Rest and Recovery: Avoid overuse by integrating regular rest days and taking breaks during repetitive tasks. Early rest at the first sign of discomfort can help prevent progression to chronic elbow pain.
By taking a proactive approach, athletes and active individuals can reduce their risk of both lateral and medial epicondylitis and stay active without interruption.
How Dr. Ali and Interventional Pain & Spine Can Help
At Interventional Pain & Spine in Wexford, PA, Dr. Mohammad Ali—a triple board-certified specialist in pain medicine, neurology, and neurophysiology—utilizes advanced diagnostic techniques to differentiate between tennis and golfer’s elbow effectively. After thoroughly reviewing your medical history and performing a careful physical exam, Dr. Ali will craft an individualized treatment plan tailored to your condition.
Our treatment options include physical therapy, injections, regenerative medicine techniques, and minimally invasive procedures—all designed to alleviate your pain, improve your range of motion, and support your return to daily activities.
Find Lasting Relief at Interventional Pain & Spine
Distinguishing between tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow is essential for receiving effective, targeted treatment. Interventional Pain & Spine in Wexford, PA, provides the specialized care needed to resolve your elbow pain and regain full strength and function.
Don’t let persistent elbow discomfort hold you back. Schedule your consultation with Dr. Mohammad Ali today by calling (724) 714-3975 or by scheduling online to start your path toward recovery.
