The quickest way to tell them apart is to find where it hurts. Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) causes pain on the outside of the elbow. Golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylitis) causes pain on the inside, the side nearest your body when your palm faces forward. Both are overuse problems of the tendons that attach your forearm muscles to the bony bumps of the elbow. Neither needs a racket or a golf club to start, and both usually improve with the right kind of loading rather than complete rest.
Below we explain how the two differ, why the names mislead, what recovery really looks like, and when it is time to get your arm examined.
TL;DR
- Outside of the elbow, worse when you extend the wrist or grip: tennis elbow. Inside of the elbow, worse when you flex the wrist or twist: golfer’s elbow.
- Tennis elbow is roughly 4 to 10 times more common than golfer’s elbow, and most cases come from work and everyday tasks, not sport.
- Most cases settle within about a year, and NHS-led guidance favours staying active and gradually strengthening over total rest.
- Numbness or tingling in the ring and little fingers, a fever, a deformed elbow or pain after a fall needs prompt medical attention.
- If it is not improving after six to eight weeks, get it assessed properly.
Table of Contents
- What each condition actually is
- Tennis elbow vs golfer’s elbow at a glance
- How the symptoms differ in daily life
- Why it is not really “itis”
- What recovery looks like
- When not to wait
- Our perspective at Elaris
- Getting your elbow assessed near Maldon
- Practical tips whichever side hurts
- FAQ
- Sources
What each condition actually is
Both conditions sit in the same family. A tendon where your forearm muscles anchor to the elbow is asked to do more than it can currently tolerate, and it becomes painful.
In tennis elbow, the affected tendon is the common extensor tendon on the outer elbow. These are the muscles that lift your wrist and straighten your fingers. In golfer’s elbow, it is the common flexor-pronator tendon on the inner elbow, which bends the wrist and fingers and turns the forearm palm-down.
The NHS Inform guide to golfer’s elbow describes pain and tenderness on the inside of the elbow that may spread down the forearm, with difficulty gripping and twisting. Tennis elbow follows the same pattern on the outside.
Why the name “elbow” does not mean sport
The labels are historical. Patient information from Devon’s NHS services lists causes as repetitive or excessive movements of the elbow and wrist. Research summarised in the research notes we reviewed says most cases occur in manual workers and office staff. Think of painters, plumbers, joiners, gardeners, hairdressers, chefs, and people who spend hours on a mouse and keyboard.
Tennis elbow vs golfer’s elbow at a glance
| Tennis elbow | Golfer’s elbow | |
|---|---|---|
| Medical name | Lateral epicondylitis | Medial epicondylitis |
| Where it hurts | Outer elbow | Inner elbow |
| Tendon involved | Common extensor tendon | Common flexor-pronator tendon |
| Typical triggers | Lifting the wrist or straightening fingers against load, gripping, opening jars, keyboard and mouse work | Bending the wrist or gripping hard, twisting, turning keys or screwdrivers, carrying bags |
| How common | The more common of the two | Less common |
| Pain can spread to | Forearm, sometimes towards the back of the hand | Forearm, sometimes the wrist |
| Nerve symptoms | Less typical | Tingling in ring and little fingers can occur |
The prevalence figures reported in the literature are around 1.3% of the general population for the lateral type against 0.4% for the medial type. That is why most people searching this topic turn out to have the outer version.
How the symptoms differ in daily life
Tennis elbow
You typically feel a sore spot on the outer elbow that is tender when pressed. The pain flares when you grip, lift a kettle, shake hands, unscrew a bottle top or carry a bag with your palm facing down. Pain can travel down the forearm. Some people notice a weaker grip and drop cups.
Golfer’s elbow
The sore spot is on the inside of the elbow. Gripping, twisting a screwdriver, turning a key, wringing out a cloth, and carrying a heavy shopping bag with the palm facing up or sideways can all bring it on. The NHS Inform page also mentions restricted elbow movement and tenderness to touch.
A simple self-check
This does not replace an examination, but it helps you describe the problem to a clinician:
- Rest your forearm on a table and press gently around each bony bump of the elbow. Note which side is tender.
- Lift your wrist against light resistance from your other hand. Pain on the outer elbow points towards tennis elbow.
- Bend your wrist against light resistance. Pain on the inner elbow points towards golfer’s elbow.
- Note any tingling, pins and needles or numbness in the fingers, and whether it changes with neck movements.
Stop if any of these brings on sharp pain, and do not force it.
Why it is not really “itis”
The suffix suggests inflammation, which is why many people reach for anti-inflammatory tablets and wonder why nothing cures it. Clinicians increasingly describe both conditions as tendinopathy: a tendon that has been overloaded faster than it can repair itself. The NCBI patient overview covers both conditions together.
This changes how you treat it. Painkillers or topical anti-inflammatories may take the edge off, but the tendon needs to relearn how to cope with load. That is why gradual strengthening sits at the heart of rehabilitation, and why the NICE Clinical Knowledge Summary on tennis elbow management sets the aim as pain relief and restoring physical function.
What recovery looks like
The honest answer is that it takes months. According to the Devon NHS guidance, most cases, around 80 to 90 percent, resolve on their own within a year. That is reassuring, but a year is a long time to live with a painful arm if you work with your hands.
Stay active, do not stop completely
Resting the arm completely for weeks is a common mistake. A stiff, deconditioned arm usually recovers more slowly. A better approach is to reduce or modify what provokes the pain:
- Change how you grip: a wider or softer grip, or using both hands.
- Reduce the weight you carry or lift.
- Take regular breaks from repetitive tasks.
- Check your desk set-up, mouse and keyboard height, and tool handles.
These points echo the activity-modification advice on the NHS Inform golfer’s elbow page.
Build the tendon back up
Graded exercises, usually wrist extension for tennis elbow and wrist flexion for golfer’s elbow with slowly increasing load, are the mainstay of rehabilitation. NHS Scotland publishes a set of exercises for golfer’s elbow that is a sensible starting point for movement. Some people also explore movement-based approaches such as kinesiotherapy for rehabilitation to support a return to activity, alongside a progressive strengthening plan.
Pain during exercises should be tolerable and settle afterwards. If it is sharp or lingers into the next day, ease the load back and ask a clinician to adjust the programme.
Be cautious with steroid injections
Injections are often offered for quick relief, but they are no longer a routine first choice. The NICE CKS management pages and the evidence summarised in our research point to short-term pain relief over a matter of weeks, but poorer results at six months than physiotherapy-led exercise, and a higher chance of the problem returning. Local skin changes such as lightening of the skin and thinning of the fat under the skin are possible too. If you are offered one, ask your GP or specialist about the trade-offs.
Scans are rarely needed
Diagnosis is usually made from your story and an examination. X-rays or MRI scans are generally kept for cases where the diagnosis is uncertain or another cause needs ruling out.
When not to wait
Most elbow pain is not serious, as the Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust notes. But get urgent medical help (your GP, NHS 111 or A&E depending on severity) if you have:
- severe pain after a fall or injury, or a visibly deformed elbow;
- a hot, red, swollen elbow, especially with a fever;
- sudden loss of feeling or strength in the arm or hand.
See your GP or a musculoskeletal clinician if you have had symptoms for six to eight weeks without improvement, if the pain wakes you at night, or if you have tingling in the ring and little fingers. The NHS guidance suggests considering physiotherapy when initial self-management has not worked after roughly six weeks.
Our perspective at Elaris
We see a lot of people with arm pain who are sure the problem is in the elbow, and sometimes it is. But in our experience at the clinic, the elbow is not always acting alone. Forearm tendons depend on the shoulder, shoulder blade and neck for how load is delivered and how nerves travel down the arm. That is why our assessment looks at the whole picture: the structure of the spine and shoulder girdle, a neurological check of strength, reflexes and sensation, and the other factors, including stress and sleep, that influence how pain behaves.
We will tell you plainly when something sounds like straightforward tendinopathy that will do well with load management and exercise, and when it deserves a referral or further tests. We do not believe in promising a quick fix for a condition that, by its nature, takes months to settle. What we can do is give you a clear explanation, a written plan, and measure your progress at each stage, with the same two practitioners seeing you each time.
If your symptoms spread into the neck or shoulder, take a look at our pages on neck and shoulder pain, and our article on shoulder blade pain red flags is worth reading if your pain sits higher up.
— steve
Getting your elbow assessed near Maldon
If your elbow or arm pain has dragged on, or you are not sure whether it is coming from the elbow, shoulder or neck, we can examine you at our clinic in Great Totham. Your first consultation and examination costs £105. It includes a hands-on exam and neurological testing, and you leave with an explanation of what we find and a written plan. You can book through our clinic page or read more about our Maldon chiropractor service.
Practical tips whichever side hurts
- Warm up before repetitive tasks. A few minutes of gentle wrist and forearm movement helps.
- Vary your tasks. Swap hands, alternate jobs, and avoid hours of one grip.
- Check your equipment. Racket grip size, tool handle thickness, mouse type and keyboard height all affect forearm load.
- Build gradually. Whether returning to golf, tennis, climbing or DIY, increase time and intensity slowly.
- Use heat or ice for comfort. The NICE CKS lists heat or ice as an option to ease pain.
- Do not catastrophise. Persistent pain feels alarming, but it rarely means serious damage. Understanding that most cases recover tends to help people keep moving.
FAQ
Is golfer’s elbow like tennis elbow?
Yes. Both are tendinopathies from overloading forearm tendons at the elbow, and they are managed in much the same way. The difference is the location: outer elbow for tennis elbow, inner elbow for golfer’s elbow.
Can you just ignore tennis elbow?
Many cases settle by themselves, with around 80 to 90 percent resolving within a year. Ignoring it completely, or pushing through hard, can drag things out. Modifying activity and doing graded exercises usually gives a better path, and you should seek help if there is no progress after six to eight weeks.
Can tennis elbow make your hand hurt?
Pain commonly spreads down the forearm and can affect grip, so the hand may feel sore or weak. True numbness or tingling is less typical and can point towards nerve involvement, which should be checked, particularly when it affects the ring and little fingers.
What should I do for tennis or golfer’s elbow?
Reduce the movements that provoke it without stopping completely, use heat or ice for comfort, and start gentle graded strengthening. If it has lasted more than six to eight weeks, or you have any warning signs, have it examined.
Sources
- Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow, InformedHealth.org (NCBI Bookshelf)
- Golfers & Tennis Elbow, MyHealth Devon (NHS)
- Tennis elbow management, NICE CKS
- Golfer’s elbow, NHS Inform
- Exercises for golfer’s elbow, NHS Inform
- Elbow Pain, Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust