How Are Golfer's Elbow and Tennis Elbow Different?

Key points in 30 seconds

1. Pain on the outer side of the elbow is tennis elbow; on the inner side, golfer's elbow.
2. Both happen just as often to people who don't play those sports.
3. It's where a tendon attaches to bone, so it takes time to heal.
4. When the shoulder doesn't do its job, the elbow works in its place.
5. If your fingers lose strength, or it's swollen and warm, other tests come first.

What we often hear

• "My elbow hurts, but I don't know if it's golfer's elbow or tennis elbow."
• "My elbow hurts when I lift things."
• "It's fine when I rest, but it comes back when I start again."

How are golfer's elbow and tennis elbow different?

The painful spot is different. Pain on the outer side of the elbow is called tennis elbow, and pain on the inner side is called golfer's elbow. Both happen just as often to people who don't play those sports.

The names cause confusion. People ask why they have it when they don't play golf or tennis. The names come from how common it is in those sports; in reality, any work that uses the wrist repeatedly can be the cause.

Which movements make it hurt?

Tennis elbow hurts when you bend the wrist back or grip something; golfer's elbow hurts when you bend the wrist down or pull on something.

People with pain on the outer side say it hurts when they lift a kettle, turn a doorknob, or wring out a cloth. People with pain on the inner side say it hurts when lifting something heavy or with pulling movements like shoveling.

Why doesn't it heal well?

Because it's where a tendon attaches to bone, so less blood flows through, and the wrist is used all day, so it's hard to rest.

It has the same nature as plantar fasciitis. Where tendons attach to bone, healing takes time, and you can't avoid using your wrist while you work. So instead of telling you not to use it, we look at changing the way you use it.

Is it enough to look only at the elbow?

We look at the neck and shoulder too. When the shoulder doesn't do its job, the elbow and wrist take over that much, and the strain builds up where the tendon attaches.

With forward head posture or a rounded back, the shoulders roll forward. Using the arm in that position reduces the force the shoulder can produce, and the elbow ends up working harder. It's a pattern we often see in people who keep hurting on one side.

What are the limits of this judgment?

That neck and shoulder problems are linked to elbow pain is a pattern we've seen in the clinic, not something confirmed with a comparison group.

One more thing. Elbow pain has other causes too: a pinched nerve, a problem with the joint itself, and, rarely, infection or arthritis. If your arm goes numb or your fingers lose strength, the nerves need to be checked separately; if it's swollen and warm, other tests come first.

We start by pinpointing whether it's the inner or outer side. Even for the same elbow, which movements to rest depends on which tendon is injured.

If your elbow has stayed the same for weeks, come see us. It doesn't take long to pinpoint which spot hurts.

Recovery speed differs from person to person, depending on the kind of work you do and how long it has been going on.