Golfers Elbow/Medial Epicondylalgia in Mona Vale
Golfer’s elbow is a common cause of pain on the inside of the elbow and can affect gripping, lifting, gym training, work and sport. At Helix Recovery, we assess the factors contributing to your symptoms and develop a progressive treatment and rehabilitation plan to rebuild strength and tendon capacity.
What is Golfers Elbow?
Golfer’s elbow, also known as medial epicondylalgia, involves pain and sensitivity around the tendons that attach the forearm muscles to the inside of the elbow.
Symptoms often develop following an increase or change in repetitive gripping, lifting, throwing, manual work, gym training or racquet and golf activities. Despite the name, you don't need to play golf to develop golfer’s elbow.
Common Symptoms
Pain on the inside of the elbow
Tenderness around the inner elbow
Pain with gripping or carrying
Pain when lifting objects
Pain with wrist or hand movements
Reduced grip strength
Pain during gym training or sport
Symptoms aggravated by repetitive work or activity
How We Assess Golfers Elbow
Several structures around the inside of the elbow can produce similar symptoms, including the common flexor tendon and ulnar nerve, so assessment is important to determine the likely source of your pain.
Assessment may include palpation, resisted wrist and finger movements, grip strength, elbow and wrist movement and functional activities that reproduce your symptoms. The ulnar nerve and neck may also be assessed where appropriate.
The aim is to identify the likely source of your symptoms, determine how much load the tendon currently tolerates and identify factors that can be addressed through treatment and progressive rehabilitation.
How We Treat Golfers Elbow
Treatment depends on how long symptoms have been present, their severity and the activities you want to return to.
Treatment may include:
Osteopathic manual therapy
Shockwave therapy
Progressive exercise rehabilitation
Forearm and grip strengthening
Activity and load modification
Gradual return to work, gym or sport
Shockwave Therapy for Golfers Elbow
Shockwave therapy may be recommended for persistent golfer’s elbow, particularly when symptoms have been present for several months or progress has plateaued despite appropriate rehabilitation.
Current evidence suggests shockwave therapy may help reduce pain and improve function when combined with a structured loading program. It is not a standalone treatment but can be a useful addition to a comprehensive rehabilitation plan.
Common Questions
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Some cases improve over time, but persistent symptoms can last for several months or longer. Progressive strengthening and appropriate management of aggravating activities can help rebuild tendon capacity and improve function.
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Complete rest is usually unnecessary. Activities that significantly aggravate symptoms may temporarily need to be reduced or modified while gradually rebuilding the tendon’s tolerance to load.
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Shockwave therapy may be useful for persistent golfer’s elbow, particularly alongside progressive strengthening and load management. It is generally used as an adjunct rather than a replacement for rehabilitation.
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Usually, yes. Certain gripping, pulling or curling exercises may initially need to be modified, but the goal is generally to maintain activity while progressively rebuilding your tolerance to heavier loads.
Is Inner Elbow Pain Affecting Your Work or Training?
If pain on the inside of your elbow is limiting gripping, lifting, work, gym training or sport, we can assess what's contributing and develop a progressive treatment and rehabilitation plan.