Elbow Pain (Tennis & Golfer's Elbow)
Tennis elbow is pain on the outside of the elbow and golfer's elbow is pain on the inside. Both are overuse injuries of the forearm tendons, and most people who get them do not play tennis or golf. PAR Physical Therapy treats elbow pain in Myrtle Beach and Murrells Inlet, South Carolina.
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Tennis elbow vs. golfer's elbow: where it hurts and why
The names are old. The cause is repeated gripping, lifting and wrist motion.
Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)
Pain on the outside of the elbow, worse when you grip, lift a cup or turn a doorknob. Lateral epicondylitis irritates the tendon that lifts the wrist.
Golfer's elbow (medial epicondylitis)
Pain on the inside of the elbow, worse with gripping, carrying and wrist flexing. Medial epicondylitis affects the tendon that bends the wrist.
Elbow pain when gripping
Both can cause elbow pain when gripping, forearm pain and a weak grip. We examine the neck and shoulder too, since they can add to it.
You do not need to play tennis or golf to get them
Painters, mechanics, hairdressers, cooks, desk workers and gardeners all get elbow tendinitis. Any repeated gripping or wrist work that outpaces what the tendon can handle can cause it. Golfers who do get golfer's elbow often swing with too much arm and too little body. As TPI medical professionals, our therapists look at that. See Sports Injury Rehab. If the pain began at work, read Work Injuries & Workers' Comp.
Other elbow problems
Elbow bursitis
A swollen, tender bump at the tip of the elbow from leaning on it or a blow.
Cubital tunnel (ulnar nerve)
Numbness or tingling in the ring and little fingers, often worse with a bent elbow. Pressure on the ulnar nerve at the inner elbow causes it.
Why loading the tendon helps more than resting it
Resting a sore tendon calms pain but does not make the tendon stronger. We load it on purpose, in small steps.
- Isometric holds to calm pain early, then eccentric and heavier loading as it tolerates
- Hands-on manual therapy and instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization for tight forearm muscles
- Dry Needling for trigger points in the forearm, when it fits
- A counterforce brace for activities you cannot avoid
- Changes at work and at home: grip size, tool handles, keyboard and mouse position, and how you lift
Wrist and hand pain, and shoulder pain
Pain near the wrist or in the fingers has its own page, hand and wrist pain. A shoulder that is not doing its job can overload the elbow, so we check the shoulder too.
Elbow pain care in Myrtle Beach and Murrells Inlet
Call either clinic or request an appointment. Same-day appointments are possible, and we accept most insurance plans.
We see patients in Myrtle Beach and Murrells Inlet, South Carolina.
Request an Appointment Call Myrtle Beach Call Murrells Inlet