Golfers elbow vs tennis elbow is a common mix-up, and golf can cause either one. Here is how to tell them apart and what to do next.
Key takeaways
- Golfer’s elbow hurts on the inside of the elbow. Tennis elbow hurts on the outside.
- With golfers elbow vs tennis elbow, golf can bring on either one, so the name does not decide.
- Gradual forearm strengthening is a sensible first step for both.
- Pins and needles, a locked elbow or pain after a fall needs a proper check.
Elbow pain in golfers is common, and the names do not help. In fact, golfer’s elbow and tennis elbow are two different conditions. Golf can give you either one. Here is how to tell them apart, and what to do about it.
What is the difference between golfers elbow vs tennis elbow?
The simplest way to think about it is location.
Golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylitis, or medial elbow tendinopathy) is pain on the inside of the elbow. It sits at the bony bump where the wrist flexor and forearm pronator tendons attach.
Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis, or lateral elbow tendinopathy) is pain on the outside of the elbow. Similarly, it sits where the wrist extensor tendons attach.
However, despite the names, you do not need to play either sport. Plenty of golfers get tennis elbow. Plenty of non-golfers get golfer’s elbow.
How can I tell which one I have?
Here are some pointers, although none of them is a diagnosis.
| Golfer’s elbow | Tennis elbow | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it hurts | Inside of the elbow | Outside of the elbow |
| What sets it off | Gripping, bending the wrist down, twisting the forearm palm-down | Lifting with the palm down, bending the wrist back, gripping |
| Common golf triggers | Impact, the gripping and forearm roll through the swing | Gripping the club tightly, hitting heavy ground |
Some people have both. Also, pain around the elbow does not always come from the tendons.
What else could it be?
Pins and needles in your ring and little fingers can point to an irritated nerve. That nerve runs along the inside of the elbow. Likewise, pain that comes with neck stiffness or arm symptoms can be referred from the neck.
However, a swollen, hot or locked elbow after a fall is a different story altogether. These are the reasons I would rather examine the elbow than guess from a description.
What helps golfers elbow vs tennis elbow?
Both conditions tend to respond to the same principles. The evidence differs between them, though.
- Reduce what flares it up, without stopping completely. For example, try fewer range sessions and less aggressive practice swings for a while.
- Load it progressively. Strengthen the forearm gradually, including slow, controlled lowering movements. This is a core part of rehab for these tendons.
- Check your grip and equipment. Grip size and how tightly you hold the club can also matter.
- Look further up the chain. Shoulder and wrist strength often matter. So does the way your forearm and trunk share the load.
Recovery usually takes weeks to months. It depends on how long you have had it and how aggravated it is. For that reason, I would avoid promising a timeline.
What does the research say?
Most of the research is on tennis elbow, with much less on golfer’s elbow. So I will separate them.
Does eccentric exercise help golfer’s elbow?
A 2026 systematic review of eccentric exercise found only five studies with 143 patients. Eccentric exercise was associated with reduced pain and improved function. However, the certainty of the evidence was low.
What happens when eccentric exercise is added for people who have not improved?
A smaller study of 20 people (Tyler and colleagues, 2014) treated golfer’s elbow that had not improved. In these patients, adding an isolated eccentric wrist exercise was followed by a big improvement in function scores. There was no control group, though. So we cannot be sure how much was due to the exercise.
Does exercise help tennis elbow?
A meta-analysis of 30 trials (Karanasios and colleagues, 2020) pooled 2,123 participants. It found that exercise did better than passive treatments such as injections. However, the effect was small and the certainty low to very low.
What do I take from that?
Exercise-based rehab is a sensible first step for both. However, nobody has proven the best exercise program. So the plan should be adjusted to you.
When should I see a physio?
Is your elbow pain lingering? Then book a physiotherapy appointment with me at our Cromer clinic. I am there Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8am to 4pm. Golfers elbow vs tennis elbow can look alike, so an examination beats guessing.
For more detail on the inside-of-the-elbow version, see our golfer’s elbow guide and our physiotherapy page.
This article is general information, not personal medical advice. If you cannot weight-bear or use the arm, see your GP or an emergency department. The same goes for severe or sudden swelling or pain. Otherwise, book an assessment rather than self-diagnosing from a blog post.
