Tennis Elbow vs. Golfer's Elbow: Which One Do You Have?

If you play tennis, golf, or even if you just spend a lot of time gripping, lifting, or typing at a desk, you might have experienced a nagging pain around your elbow. The two main culprits are usually lateral epicondylitis ("tennis elbow") and medial epicondylitis ("golfer's elbow").

Understanding tennis elbow vs golfer's elbow really just comes down to knowing a little bit of simple anatomy: where it hurts and which muscles are working! Here is how to easily tell them apart and what we can do to get you stronger, in less pain, and moving better. You got this!

The Main Difference: Let's Look at the Anatomy

To make sense of the movement and the pain, I always like to explain the anatomy of the muscle.

Tennis Elbow (The Outside)

• Where it hurts: On the outside of the elbow, right at that bony bump called the lateral epicondyle.
• What’s affected: The tendons of the muscles that extend your wrist (lifting your knuckles toward the ceiling).
• The Anatomy Connection: Think about these muscles starting at that outside bony bump (the origin) and traveling down to your hand (the insertion). When you hit a backhand in tennis or lift something with your palm facing down, you are bringing the insertion closer to the origin. If you do this repeatedly without a strong foundation, those tendons get overworked!

Golfer's Elbow (The Inside)

• Where it hurts: On the inside of the elbow, at the inner bony bump (the medial epicondyle).
• What’s affected: The tendons of the muscles that flex your wrist (curling your palm toward your inner arm).
• The Anatomy Connection: These muscles attach at the inside bump. When you hit a forehand, swing a golf club, or carry heavy grocery bags, you are contracting these muscles.

So, to keep it simple: tennis elbow vs golfer's elbow is just outside vs. inside!

How to Tell Which You Have

Clients often ask me, “Am I doing this right when trying to figure out my pain?” It's actually very simple to test at home!

1. Press on the bony bumps: Gently press the outer bump of your elbow. If that makes you say "ouch," think tennis elbow. Press the inner bump. If that hurts, think golfer's elbow.
2. Resisted movements: Rest your forearm on a table. Try to lift your hand up while pressing down on it with your other hand. Does the outside hurt? That’s tennis elbow. Now try to curl your palm up against resistance. Does the inside hurt? That's golfer's elbow.

Once we know which one you have, we can build a strong foundation to fix it!

How We Treat It: Building Your Foundation

Whether we are treating tennis elbow vs golfer's elbow, the goal is the same: we need to calm down the pain and then build up your strength using a full range of motion.

1. Mind-Muscle Connection When we start your exercises, I want you to really think about the muscle you are working on. If we are doing wrist extensions for tennis elbow, visualize that muscle connecting from your hand up to the outside of your elbow. Feel them working together!

2. Focus on the Eccentric (Lowering) Phase A lot of our rehab will focus on the lowering part of a wrist curl. You will lift the weight up, and then lower it very, very slowly. I will often tell my patients: Control more the movement. If you just drop the weight, you aren't engaging the fullness of the muscle.

3. Breathe and Be Patient Clients always ask, “How long till I reach this goal?” Expecting results too soon is one of the biggest mistakes you can make! Tendons take time to heal and adapt. Breathe through your nose, focus on your form, and remember that awesome progress requires a little bit of patience.

Common Questions & Mistakes

• “Is mobility the same as stretching?” Not quite! Stretching is passively lengthening the muscle (like pulling your wrist back and holding it). Mobility is actively controlling the joint through its full range of motion. We start with manual techniques and stretching to relieve tension, but we must transition into active mobility and strengthening to actually fix the problem.
• Having the wrong technique: Rushing through exercises or using momentum instead of muscle control will only keep you injured. If an exercise looks too easy, we can always progress it, but we have to perfect your form first! Just give me 2 more reps with perfect control.

When to Book an Appointment Immediately

You shouldn't have to guess with your recovery. You should reach out to a physical therapist immediately if:

• You experience pain every day and it is simply not getting better.
• You notice significant muscular weakness in your grip or arm.
• You are very physically active and have a tennis tournament, golf outing, or competition coming up soon!

At Complex, we love helping athletes and everyday people build the strength they need to live without pain.

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Ready to finally resolve that nagging elbow pain? Book a consultation today and start your return to doing what you enjoy the most!