Golfer's Elbow
The inner-elbow mirror of tennis elbow — with one nerve-shaped difference.
Overview
Understanding golfer's elbow
Golfer's elbow is the medial twin of tennis elbow — overload of the tendons that flex your wrist, anchored at the inner elbow. It shows up in golfers, throwers, climbers, and anyone who grips and lifts for a living.
The wrinkle on the inner side is the neighborhood: the ulnar nerve runs right behind the attachment, and in throwers the ulnar collateral ligament lives underneath. Sorting tendon from nerve from ligament is the evaluation's real job.
Symptoms
What it feels like
- Pain and tenderness at the inner elbow
- Pain with gripping, lifting, or wrist flexion
- Occasional tingling into the ring and small fingers (ulnar nerve irritation)
- In throwers: pain during the acceleration phase
Common causes
Why it happens
- Repetitive gripping, lifting, and wrist flexion
- Golf, throwing sports, climbing, and manual trades
- Training or workload spikes
Diagnosis
How it's diagnosed
Exam localizes the tendon and screens the ulnar nerve and, in throwers, the UCL. Ultrasound or MRI enters for persistent cases or when ligament injury is on the table — a distinction that completely changes treatment in throwing athletes.
Treatment
The full range of options
Non-surgical
Progressive loading program
Wrist-flexor strengthening on the same evidence-based template as tennis elbow — the primary treatment for the large majority.
Workload & technique adjustments
Grip size, swing or throwing mechanics, and volume management remove the overload that started it.
Surgical
Debridement with nerve management
Persistent cases get the degenerated tendon removed, with the ulnar nerve protected or addressed when it's part of the picture.
Recovery
The road back
Loading programs deliver over two to three months. Post-surgical recovery mirrors tennis elbow — early motion, strengthening by six weeks, and full return around three to four months.
Dr. Johnson's approach
Dr. Johnson evaluates the inner elbow as three structures, not one — tendon, nerve, ligament — and treats the one that's actually talking. For most patients that means a disciplined loading program and a return plan that respects their sport or trade.
Straight answers
Frequently Asked Questions
The information on this site is for education only and is not a medical diagnosis or a substitute for professional medical advice. Every patient is different — please consult Dr. Johnson or a qualified provider about your specific condition.
Ready when you are
Take the first step past golfer's elbow
A focused evaluation, an honest conversation, and a plan built for your goals.