Pain on the INNER side of your elbow that flares with carrying, clenching your fist or twisting? Medial epicondylitis — “golfer’s elbow” — is the lesser-known sibling of tennis elbow: rarer but just as nagging, and with the same modern causes — repetitive hand work, not sport.
What is golfer’s elbow?
The tendons of the muscles that flex your wrist and fingers and rotate the forearm attach at the medial epicondyle. Under repetitive overload a tendinopathy develops — degeneration with pain at the attachment. The nearby ulnar nerve matters: tingling in the ring and little fingers points to its involvement and adjusts the plan.
Common symptoms
Pinpoint pain on the inner elbow, worse with clenching the fist, carrying bags, pulling, screwing, resisted wrist flexion; reduced grip strength; and sometimes radiation along the inner forearm.
Common causes
Repetitive grip-flex-rotate movements (manual trades, cooking, cleaning, desk work, racquet sport or golf with poor technique), sudden volume increases and unprepared flexor muscles.
Can it be treated without surgery?
Yes — just like the lateral form: a progressive flexor-loading programme (isometric → eccentric → functional), with good evidence. Cortisone injections — short-term benefit, poor long-term results; surgery — the reserve for refractory cases.
How we treat golfer’s elbow at Medicine Park
We assess the elbow, ulnar nerve, wrist, shoulder and cervical spine, then build the loading programme, adding manual therapy, dry needling for the flexors, and technique and ergonomic adjustments. Activity continues — correctly dosed. All in English.
How long does recovery take?
Recent cases: 6–8 weeks. Chronic ones: 3+ months of consistency, with measurable progress on pain and strength.
When to seek help
If the inside of your elbow hurts with every workday for more than two weeks, or finger tingling has appeared, book an assessment. Your first assessment at Medicine Park is free.
