Elbow Pain Holding You Back?

Understanding Tennis and Golfer’s Elbow

Have you noticed a nagging pain around your elbow that’s starting to make even simple tasks feel like a challenge, or perhaps keeping you from enjoying the activities you love? You’re definitely not alone. At 4Points Health, we see elbow pain quite often—and two of the most common culprits are conditions called tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow.

Despite the sporty names, these conditions aren’t limited to athletes. Tradespeople, office workers, gardeners, musicians—even parents lifting kids—can end up with elbow pain from repetitive movements or strain.

Since this is such a common condition, we thought we’d take a closer look at what’s going on with these injuries and how you can start feeling better.

What Are Tennis and Golfer’s Elbow?

Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow are, for the most part, overuse injuries. Both issues involve irritation and microscopic damage to the tendons around your elbow joint. Tendons connect muscles to bone, and in these conditions, the real problem often starts in the muscles that move and stabilize your wrist and fingers, not just the elbow itself. In many ways even though the area of irritation and pain is at your elbow, the main issue is with your hand and wrist. That’s why activities that involve hand movement irritate your elbow so much. Overuse injuries happen when we the demand we place on our body is greater than what are body is ready for.

Here’s how they differ:

• Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylopathy)

  • Affects the tendons on the outside of your elbow.

  • Linked to overuse of the muscles that extend your wrist and fingers (think lifting, gripping, or twisting motions).

• Golfer’s Elbow (Medial Epicondylopathy)

  • Involves tendons on the inside of your elbow.

  • Related to strain in the muscles that flex your wrist and fingers or help with gripping and twisting motions.

Even if you’ve never swung a tennis racquet or golf club, repeated activities—like typing, using tools, playing instruments, or lifting objects—can overload these tendons.

How Do You Know If It’s Tennis or Golfer’s Elbow?

Some signs to watch for:

Tennis Elbow:

• Pain or tenderness on the outside of your elbow.

• Pain that may travel down your forearm.

• Difficulty with grip strength, lifting, or twisting movements.

Golfer’s Elbow:

• Pain or tenderness on the inside of your elbow.

• Pain radiating into your forearm or fingers (especially ring and pinky fingers).

• Discomfort when flexing your wrist or making a fist.

Elbow Pain Varies in Severity

Elbow pain concerns can range from mild irritation to more persistent pain that limits daily activities. You might experience:

• Mild symptoms: Occasional twinges that come and go.

• Moderate symptoms: Persistent discomfort that affects daily tasks.

• Severe symptoms: Pain present at rest, making simple activities like lifting a cup or opening a door feel impossible.

The sooner you address these issues, the less likely they’ll become long-lasting problems.

Early Steps You Can Take

If you’re noticing elbow pain:

✅ Modify activities – Avoid or adjust the motions that aggravate your pain, rather than stopping all activity completely.

✅ Ice the area – Apply ice for 15–20 minutes a few times per day to help manage pain.

✅ Gentle mobility – Light stretching and gentle movements can help keep things mobile without overstressing the tissues.

✅ Isometric Exercise - Exercise that contract the muscles but don’t move the joint.

✅ Over-the-counter medication – Pain relievers like ibuprofen or naproxen may help in the short term, if appropriate for you.

Why Isometric Exercise Matters

One of the first steps we often recommend in rehab is isometric exercise. These involve gentle contractions of the muscles without moving the joint itself—helping reduce pain and maintain some muscle activation without putting excessive strain on irritated tendons.

For example, gently pushing your wrist against resistance (without moving it) can begin to build tendon resilience and help decrease discomfort.

Why Early Care Makes a Difference

Ignoring elbow pain often leads to chronic symptoms and compensations elsewhere in the body, like the shoulder, neck, or wrist. Early intervention:

• Helps the tendons heal before significant changes occur.

• Reduces the risk of chronic pain.

• Keeps you active and independent in your daily life.

How We Can Help at 4Points Health

If elbow pain is persistent or worsening, don’t wait too long to seek help. At 4Points Health, our team works together to help you recover.

Treatment may include:

• Thorough assessment to pinpoint the true source of your pain.

• Hands-on therapy to address tightness and improve joint and soft tissue mobility.

• Isometric and progressive strengthening exercises to help the tendons heal and build resilience.

• Education and movement retraining so you can avoid re-injury.

• Bracing or taping, if appropriate, to reduce strain during healing.

• Shockwave Therapy has been very effective in the treatment and management of these tendon conditions

Our goal is always to help you return to the activities you love—without elbow pain holding you back.

Final Thoughts

Your elbow might seem like a small part of your body — but it plays a huge role in how you work, play, and live. If you’ve been battling elbow pain, don’t ignore it. It’s one of the pesky conditions that can take a long time to recover from once it sets in.