Two Sides of the Same Coin

Tennis Elbow (Lateral)

  • Pain on the outside of the elbow

  • Affects the tendons that extend the wrist and fingers

  • Worse gripping, lifting, or twisting

Golfer's Elbow (Medial)

  • Pain on the inside of the elbow

  • Affects the tendons that flex the wrist and fingers

  • Worse gripping or flexing the wrist

What Contributes to It

  • Repetitive gripping or wrist motion — tools, typing, racquet sports, golf, weightlifting

  • A sudden increase in activity or a new repetitive task

  • Forearm weakness

  • Most common after age 40, regardless of whether you play the namesake sport

How We Treat It

  1. Calm the irritation — activity modification, and a counterforce brace can offload the tendon.

  2. Progressive tendon loading — isometric holds, building into strengthening; this is what actually rebuilds tendon capacity.

  3. Address grip mechanics — grip size, technique, and equipment adjustments where relevant.

  4. Return to activity gradually — matching load to what the tendon can tolerate.

Bottom line: Both conditions respond well to a progressive loading program. Recovery can take a few months, but the large majority of people improve substantially without injections or surgery.