Elbow Pain: Is it Tennis, Golf, or Just Life?

zbamber01
Jan 15
2 min read

Whether you’re a weekend warrior on the court or someone who spends hours clicking a mouse, elbow pain can be incredibly frustrating. It’s a sharp, nagging sensation that makes even picking up a kettle or shaking a friend's hand feel like a chore.

At Dr Zo The Physio, we often see patients who are confused because they have "Tennis Elbow" but haven’t picked up a racket in years! Let’s break down what these conditions actually are and, more importantly, how to fix them.

Tennis vs. Golfer’s Elbow: What’s the Difference?

Both conditions are types of tendinopathy—an overuse injury of the tendons that attach your forearm muscles to the bony bits of your elbow (the epicondyles). The main difference is simply the location:

Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis)

Location: The outside of the elbow.
The Cause: Overuse of the muscles that extend your wrist (lifting your hand up).
Common Activities: Typing, painting, screwdriving, or a backhand stroke in tennis.

Golfer’s Elbow (Medial Epicondylitis)

Location: The inside of the elbow.
The Cause: Overuse of the muscles that flex your wrist (curling your hand down) and rotate your forearm.
Common Activities: Heavy lifting, carpentry, gardening, or a golf swing.

Why Does It Keep Coming Back?

The biggest mistake people make with elbow pain is thinking it’s an inflammatory "itis." While it might feel hot or swollen initially, chronic elbow pain is usually a loading issue.

The tendon has become "unfit" for the work you are asking it to do. If you just rest it, the tendon gets even weaker, and the pain returns the moment you start working or playing again. To fix it, we have to rebuild the tendon’s strength.

The Dr. Zo Strategy for Recovery

Phase	Goal	Typical Exercise
1. Calm It Down	Reduce "angry" pain signals.	Isometrics: Holding a weight still to engage the muscle without moving the joint.
2. Build Capacity	Make the tendon "tough" again.	Eccentrics: Slowly lowering a weight (the "negative" rep) to stimulate tendon repair.
3. Look Up & Down	Check the Shoulder & Wrist.	Strengthening the shoulder so the elbow doesn't have to work so hard.

3 Tips to Manage Elbow Pain Today

Modify Your Grip: If you're a golfer or tennis player, your grip might be too small, causing you to squeeze harder than necessary. At the office? Try an ergonomic vertical mouse.
The "Slow Lower": If you have Tennis Elbow, use your "good" hand to lift a light weight up, then use the "sore" arm to lower it very slowly (3–5 seconds).
Check Your Neck: Believe it or not, some elbow pain actually starts with a pinched nerve in the neck. If you have tingling in your fingers, this is a major clue!

Dr. Zo’s Pro Tip: Avoid those "elbow straps" as a long-term solution. They act like a Band-Aid by changing where the muscle pulls, but they don't fix the underlying weakness. Use them for support, but don't skip your rehab!

Get a Grip on Your Pain

Don't let a "nagging elbow" turn into a chronic problem. At Dr Zo The Physio, we use a combination of manual release, and progressive loading programs to get you back to 100%.