Golfer's Elbow and Grip Pain: A Practical Rehab Plan

Despite the name, most people we see with golfer's elbow have never swung a club in their life. It shows up in gym-goers doing heavy rows and deadlifts, desk workers who spend all day typing and gripping a mouse, parents lifting toddlers, and tradespeople who use their hands constantly. The common thread isn't the sport — it's repeated gripping and forearm loading that has outpaced what the tendon can currently tolerate.

Golfer's elbow (medial epicondylalgia) is an overload injury to the tendons on the inner side of the elbow, where the forearm muscles that flex your wrist and fingers attach to the bone. Unlike a sprain, it rarely comes from one bad moment — it builds gradually, and by the time it's painful enough to notice, the tendon has usually been struggling for weeks. That's important, because it changes how you should treat it: rest alone tends to leave the tendon weak and just as irritable the moment you go back to normal life, while the right kind of loading actually helps it remodel and get stronger.

How to tell if it's golfer's elbow

The pain is typically felt as a distinct tender point on the bony bump on the inside of the elbow, sometimes spreading a short way down the inner forearm. You'll usually notice it with:

• Gripping firmly — carrying shopping bags, opening jars, shaking hands
• Wrist flexion against resistance, such as curling a dumbbell or doing a pull-up
• Pressing directly on the inner elbow
• First thing in the morning or after a period of heavy use the day before

It's easy to confuse with tennis elbow, which affects the outer elbow and the wrist extensor tendons instead — the rehab principles are similar, but the specific exercises differ, so it's worth getting an accurate diagnosis rather than guessing.

Why rest alone rarely fixes it

Tendons don't respond well to complete inactivity. Load is actually the stimulus they need to repair and strengthen — the trick is finding the right dose. Too much, and you keep irritating the tendon; too little, and it stays weak and reactive, flaring up again the moment you resume normal gripping tasks. This is why so many people find their golfer's elbow "goes away" over a quiet fortnight, only to return as soon as they're back at the gym or back to a physical job. A structured, progressive loading plan — rather than a stretch here and there — is what actually changes the tendon's capacity over time.

A practical four-stage rehab plan

Stage 1 — Calm things down (week 1–2) Reduce, don't eliminate, aggravating grip work. Avoid maximal grip efforts and heavy curls, but keep the elbow moving through normal daily use. Isometric holds are useful here: gently press your palm into a wall or table edge as if flexing your wrist, hold for 30–45 seconds, 3–5 times a day. Isometrics tend to reduce pain without adding much load, which makes them a good starting point.

Stage 2 — Rebuild tolerance (week 2–5) Introduce slow, controlled wrist flexion exercises with a light dumbbell or resistance band — think 3 sets of 10–15 reps, moving slowly on the way down. Add gentle grip strengthening with a soft stress ball or grip trainer. The goal isn't to chase a pump; it's to reload the tendon predictably and track that symptoms settle within a day of each session.

Stage 3 — Build real strength (week 4–8) Progress to heavier resistance and functional movements — farmer's carries, controlled reverse curls, and grip work that mimics what you actually need for the gym, your sport or your job. This is where a tailored strength and conditioning programme pays off, because the loading needs to be specific to your goals, not generic.

Stage 4 — Return to full activity Gradually reintroduce the movements that originally aggravated things — deadlifts, pull-ups, racquet sports, golf itself — building volume back up over several weeks rather than jumping straight back to your previous training load.

When to get it assessed

Most cases improve with consistent, appropriately loaded rehab, but a few situations are worth having checked properly rather than pushing through:

• Pain that's been present for more than six weeks despite easing activity
• Numbness or tingling into the ring and little fingers, which can suggest ulnar nerve involvement
• Pain that hasn't responded to a genuine attempt at graded loading
• Recurrent flare-ups every time you try to return to sport or the gym

A thorough physiotherapy assessment can confirm the diagnosis, rule out nerve involvement, and build a loading plan matched to your specific irritability level and goals — which matters, because a plan that's too aggressive or too cautious can both stall progress. For tendons that have been stubborn for several months despite proper rehab, shockwave therapy can be a useful addition, helping to stimulate the tendon's healing response alongside your exercise programme.

If your grip pain has been dragging on and self-management hasn't shifted it, it's worth getting assessed properly rather than guessing. Our team at our Vauxhall clinic can talk you through what's driving your symptoms and build a rehab plan around your specific demands, whether that's the gym, your sport, or simply getting through the working day without wincing every time you pick something up.