If you’ve ever felt a nagging pain in your elbow, you might be experiencing either Tennis Elbow or Golfer’s Elbow. These conditions, though similar, have distinct differences that are important to understand for effective management.
Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis)
A condition where the tendons on the outside of the elbow become inflamed due to repetitive motion and overuse, particularly from activities that involve extension of the wrist and fingers. Common among tennis players, it can also affect people who engage in repetitive arm motions, such as painters, carpenters, or even office workers.
Golfer’s Elbow (Medial Epicondylitis)
On the other hand, it affects the tendons on the inside of the elbow. This condition arises from activities that involve repeated flexion of the wrist and fingers. Although it’s commonly associated with golfers, it can also affect anyone who performs repetitive gripping or lifting activities.
Image: https://www.vivehealth.com/blogs/resources/golfers-elbow-vs-tennis-elbow
What are the signs and Symptoms?
Tennis Elbow: Pain and tenderness on the outer part of the elbow, weakness in the forearm, and pain when lifting or gripping objects.
Golfer’s Elbow: Pain and tenderness on the inner part of the elbow, stiffness, weakness in the hands and wrists, and pain when making a fist or lifting objects.
High-Powered Laser Therapy
What are the management and treatment strategies?
- Rest and Activity Modification: Avoid activities that exacerbate the pain. Give your elbow time to heal.
- Ice and Compression: Applying ice packs and using compression bands can help reduce inflammation and pain.
- Medication: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can help manage pain and inflammation.
- Supportive Devices: Using elbow braces or straps can help alleviate strain on the affected tendons.
- Osteopath: see below for how
- Gradual Return to Activity: Once symptoms improve, gradually reintroduce activities to avoid re-injury.
Treatment of the forearm
How May Osteopathy help?
Osteopathic treatment focuses on relieving pain and improving function through manual techniques such as soft tissue manipulation and joint mobilisation. Osteopaths can also provide advice on ergonomic adjustments and exercises to prevent recurrence. These treatments help reduce muscle tension, improve circulation, and enhance the healing process. At Pakenham Osteopathy, all of our Osteopaths have completed further study in Dry Needling and this too can help with these injuries. Further, we also have two state-of-the-art machines that are used in elite level sport – a Radial Shockwave Therapy machine and a High-Powered Laser Therapy machine. Both of these have an 80% success rate for tendon injuries so can be very effective is tennis and golfers elbow tendon injuries.
Key Differences:
| Tennis Elbow | Golfer’s Elbow | |
| Location | On the outer part of elbow | On the inner part of elbow |
| Affected Tendons | Involves the extensor tendons of the forearm | Involves the flexor tendons of the forearm |
| Common activities leading to condition | Activities that require repetitive wrist extension and gripping, such as playing tennis, using tools, or typing | Activities that involve repetitive wrist flexion and gripping, like playing golf, throwing, or weightlifting |
| Pain characteristics | Pain worsens with activities like lifting, gripping, or twisting the forearm. | Pain is aggravated by movements that involve flexing the wrist, squeezing, or lifting objects with a flexed wrist |
Final Takeaway
Ammar Khan Osteopath
In both cases, it’s crucial to seek professional advice to ensure a proper diagnosis and tailored treatment plan. Early intervention and appropriate management can significantly reduce recovery time and prevent chronic issues. Whether you’re a tennis player, golfer, or simply dealing with elbow pain from daily activities, understanding these conditions and their management is key to maintaining a pain-free lifestyle. If you’re experiencing any elbow symptoms , consider consulting with us at Pakenham Osteopathy to explore how an osteopathic approach can help you find relief and improve your quality of life.
If you have any questions about tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow, please feel free to email me directly: ammar@pakenhamosteopathy.com.au
