Written by Zita Sham, Fairuuz Saleh and Shiv Mohan Banka, Principal Physiotherapists at Phoenix Rehab.Clinically reviewed by Nigel Chua, Principal Hand Occupational Therapist & Director, AHPC A1300362Z.Last reviewed 16 October 2026.
Golfer’s elbow is pain on the inner side of the elbow from an overloaded tendon: the shared tendon of the muscles that bend the wrist and turn the palm down, where it attaches to the bony point on the inside of the elbow. It hurts when you grip, lift with your palm up, or throw. Most cases are treated without surgery, with changes to the load and graded strengthening.
Most people with golfer’s elbow do not play golf. In Singapore we see it far more from gym rows and pull-ups, manual trades, carrying children and bags, and climbing. It is less common than tennis elbow, it is easily confused with a nerve or ligament problem at the inner elbow, and it is treated the same way: less of what provokes it, and more strength in the muscles it serves.
Key takeaways
- Golfer’s elbow is an overloaded tendon on the inner side of the elbow. Most people who get it do not play golf.
- It hurts with gripping, lifting palm-up and throwing, and there is tenderness at or just below the bony point on the inner elbow.
- Numb or tingling ring and little fingers point to the ulnar nerve, not the tendon, and are assessed differently.
- Changing the load and graded strengthening are the core of treatment. A strap below the inner elbow can ease painful tasks.
- In a trial, a steroid injection eased pain at 6 weeks, with no difference from placebo at 3 months or one year.
Golfer’s elbow at a glance
| What it is | Overload of the common flexor and pronator tendon where it attaches to the inner elbow (the medial epicondyle) |
| Also called | Medial epicondylitis, medial elbow tendinopathy |
| Common in | Ages 40 to 60; gym pulling work, manual trades, climbing, golf, throwing sports, carrying |
| Main symptoms | Inner elbow pain with gripping, lifting palm-up and throwing; a weaker grip |
| First-line care | Load changes, progressive exercise, a strap for painful tasks |
| Typical recovery | A clear change within 6 to 12 weeks of consistent exercise; longer when it has been there for months |
| See a doctor if | The elbow is hot and swollen, locks, or your ring and little fingers are numb or weak |
Golfer’s elbow symptoms
- Pain on the inner elbow, sometimes spreading down the inside of the forearm.
- Pain with gripping and lifting palm-up: a full kettle, a bag of rice, a child under the arms, a dumbbell curl.
- Pain with throwing, and at the point in a golf swing where the club meets the ground.
- A weaker grip, especially with the elbow straight.
- Tenderness at, or a little below and in front of, the bony point on the inner elbow.
How golfer’s elbow is diagnosed
A hand therapist, physiotherapist or doctor diagnoses golfer’s elbow from your history and an examination. The tests load the tendon, and pain at the inner elbow supports the diagnosis. The same examination checks the ulnar nerve and the ligament on the inner side of the elbow, which can cause similar pain.
- Resisted wrist bend. You bend your wrist forward against the clinician’s hand, with the palm up.
- Resisted forearm turn. You turn your palm down against resistance.
- Stretch test. With your palm up, the clinician straightens your elbow and bends your wrist and fingers back.
- Grip test. Your grip is weaker, and more painful, with the elbow straight than with it bent.
- Nerve check. Tapping or pressing over the ulnar nerve behind the inner elbow, and checking feeling and strength in the ring and little fingers.
Scans are seldom needed. A doctor may order an ultrasound or MRI if the diagnosis is unclear, if a ligament injury is suspected, or if pain persists after 3 to 6 months of good treatment.
Golfer’s elbow vs tennis elbow
| Golfer’s elbow | Tennis elbow | |
| Where it hurts | Inner elbow | Outer elbow |
| Tendon | Wrist flexors and the muscle that turns the palm down | Wrist extensors, which lift the wrist back |
| Painful movements | Gripping with the wrist bent forward; lifting palm-up; throwing | Gripping with the wrist bent back; lifting palm-down |
| Nerve nearby | Ulnar nerve (cubital tunnel) | Radial nerve (radial tunnel) |
More on the outer side: tennis elbow treatment and recovery.
Other causes of inner elbow pain
| Condition | Clues | Read more |
| Ulnar nerve at the elbow (cubital tunnel) | Tingling or numbness in the ring and little fingers; worse with the elbow bent | Cubital Tunnel Recovery Program |
| Ligament sprain (UCL) | Pain when you throw, or after a fall onto the hand; sometimes a pop | Elbow UCL sprain |
| Elbow joint problems | Locking, catching, swelling, or losing the last part of straightening | Elbow physiotherapy |
| Growth plate stress in children | Inner elbow pain in a child or teenager who throws or bowls | See a doctor first |
What causes golfer’s elbow?
The tendon is asked for more than it can currently tolerate, usually by repeated gripping with the wrist bent forward or the palm turned up. The triggers we see most in Singapore:
- Gym pulling work: rows, pull-ups, chin-ups and curls with a tight grip, especially after a jump in volume.
- Manual trades: tools, hammering, lifting materials palm-up.
- Climbing and bouldering, where the forearm flexors take the load.
- Golf, especially hitting a lot of balls off hard range mats.
- Carrying: children, groceries, trays in F&B work.
- A sudden jump in activity, such as a house move or a new sport.
Golfer’s elbow treatment in Singapore: your options
| Option | Who provides it | What the evidence shows | When it fits |
| Load changes | Hand therapist or physiotherapist | Core of treatment; keeps you working while the tendon settles | From the first appointment |
| Progressive loading exercise | Hand therapist or physiotherapist | Fewer trials than tennis elbow; the same tendon principles apply | From the first week |
| Strap (counterforce brace) | Hand therapist or physiotherapist | Short-term pain relief during activity | For painful tasks and sport |
| Manual therapy | Hand therapist or physiotherapist | Short-term pain relief | Add-on to exercise |
| Steroid injection | Doctor | Less pain at 6 weeks; no difference from placebo at 3 months or one year1 | A decision for your doctor, weighed against that trade-off |
| Shockwave therapy | Physiotherapist or hand therapist | Mixed evidence | Selected persistent cases |
| Surgery | Orthopedic or hand surgeon | For the small group who do not improve2 | After 6 to 12 months of good conservative care |
Change the load. Lift with the palm down or with two hands, loosen your grip on the bar, the tool and the club, and cut the volume of pulling work for a few weeks rather than stopping it. Complete rest weakens the tendon, so the aim is less load while you stay active.
Progressive exercise. Tendons get stronger when you load them in stages. Your program starts with holds that ease pain, moves to slow lifting and lowering, and builds to heavier strength work over about 12 weeks.
Steroid injections. In a trial of 60 elbows, people given a steroid injection had less pain at 6 weeks than those given a placebo injection, with no difference at 3 months or one year.1 If you are considering one, that trial is a fair thing to raise with your doctor. Physiotherapy after an injection covers the weeks after one.
Hand therapists and physiotherapists do not give injections or prescribe medication; we coordinate your exercise plan with your doctor.
Golfer’s elbow exercises
These form the core of treatment. Your therapist sets the starting level from your assessment.
Stage 1: holds that ease pain
- Wrist bend hold. Forearm on a table, palm up, hand over the edge. Hold a light weight, or press up into your other hand, without moving. Hold 30 to 45 seconds, 5 times, at moderate effort, once or twice a day.
Stage 2: slow lifting and lowering
- Wrist curl lowering. Palm up with a light dumbbell or a water bottle. Help the wrist up with the other hand, then lower it on its own over 3 to 4 seconds. 3 sets of 15, once a day.
- Forearm turn with a hammer. Hold a light hammer by the handle and turn the palm down slowly, then back. 3 sets of 10.
- Grip squeezes. Therapy putty or a soft ball. 3 sets of 10.
Stage 3: heavier strength and return to task
- Heavier wrist curls, lifting and lowering over 3 to 4 seconds each way. 3 sets of 8 to 12.
- Pulling work back in steps: rows and hangs with a looser grip first, then the full movement.
- Task and sport drills, such as tool work, climbing volume or balls hit at the range, built up each week.
Pain rule. Pain up to 3 to 4 out of 10 during exercise is acceptable if it settles by the next morning. Scale back if pain is higher the next day.
Golfer’s elbow recovery time
Recovery depends on how long you have had it and how consistent you are with the load changes and exercise. Your therapist or doctor may give you different targets; use theirs.
| Situation | Typical timeframe |
| Recent, mild golfer’s elbow | A clear change within 6 to 12 weeks |
| Established (over 3 months) | 3 to 6 months of strength work |
| After a steroid injection | Pain relief for weeks; the tendon still needs loading |
| After surgery | 3 to 6 months to heavy work and sport |
Returning to golf, the gym and climbing
- Golf. Fewer balls per visit to the range, a lighter grip pressure, and a tee or turf instead of hard mats where you can. Hitting from a tee spares the elbow the jolt of catching the ground.
- Gym. Rows and pull-ups with a looser grip, straps or a neutral grip for a few weeks, and curls palm-down before palm-up.
- Climbing. Fewer hard pulls on small holds, and more open-hand grips, while the tendon is built back up.
- The test is the next morning. If the elbow is no worse, keep building.
Golfer’s elbow surgery, and the weeks after it
Surgery is for the small group whose pain has not settled after 6 to 12 months of good conservative care. A surgeon removes the worn tissue at the start of the flexor and pronator tendon on the inner elbow and repairs it, and may move or release the ulnar nerve at the same operation if it is involved.2 Hand therapy usually starts within the first two weeks and runs for about three months, with heavy work and sport at 3 to 6 months.
| Weeks after surgery | Stage | What happens |
| 0 to 2 | Calm & Protect | A splint or sling for comfort, the wound kept dry, and the fingers and shoulder kept moving |
| 2 to 6 | Move & Mobilize | Elbow, wrist and forearm movement back; light grip; scar care |
| 6 to 12 | Rebuild & Strengthen | Graded loading of the flexors; grip strength measured each review |
| 12 to 26 | Return & Perform | Heavy lifting, tools, golf and pulling work, built up week by week |
Your surgeon’s protocol takes precedence. If you are twelve weeks out and the kettle still goes to the other hand, the Stalled Recovery Review is built for that, and hand therapy after surgery covers the other operations we rehabilitate.
When to see a doctor
- Go to the emergency department now if the elbow looks deformed after a fall, you cannot bend or straighten it, or the hand is pale, cold or numb.
- See a doctor the same day if the elbow is hot, red and swollen, or you have a fever.
- See a doctor soon if your ring and little fingers are numb or tingling, your hand is weak, the elbow locks, you felt a pop while throwing, or a child has inner elbow pain from throwing.
- Ask for a review if pain has not improved after 6 to 8 weeks of consistent exercise.
Hand therapy for golfer’s elbow at Phoenix Rehab Group
Golfer’s elbow is seen by our hand therapists and physiotherapists at Orchard, Serangoon, Tampines and Tanjong Pagar, and at Jurong East from 25 October 2026. All are AHPC-registered, and every appointment is one to one with your therapist for the full 45 minutes. At your first appointment we take a work, gym and sport history, run the tendon and nerve tests, measure grip strength with the elbow bent and straight, set the load changes and start your exercise program. Your therapist sets your plan at that visit and reviews it at each stage. More on elbow physiotherapy.
If inner elbow pain is making gripping, lifting or your sport hard, WhatsApp us to Get Assessed & Treated. No referral needed.
Frequently asked questions about golfer’s elbow
What is golfer’s elbow?
Golfer’s elbow, or medial epicondylitis, is pain on the inner side of the elbow from an overloaded tendon: the shared tendon of the muscles that bend the wrist and turn the palm down. It hurts with gripping, lifting palm-up and throwing. Most people who get it do not play golf; gym pulling work, manual trades and carrying are more common causes.
What is the fastest way to heal golfer’s elbow?
There is no shortcut past the tendon’s own rebuilding. Cut the tasks that provoke it, keep the arm working, and start graded strengthening of the wrist flexors and forearm early. A strap below the inner elbow can ease painful tasks. A steroid injection can ease pain in the short term, but in a trial the benefit was gone by three months; whether that trade-off suits you is a question for your doctor.
How long does golfer’s elbow take to heal?
Many people notice a clear change within 6 to 12 weeks of consistent loading exercise. Golfer’s elbow that has been there for months can take 3 to 6 months, and some cases take longer. Grip strength with the elbow straight, measured at each review, is a better guide than how it feels on the day.
Does acupuncture help with golfer’s elbow?
The evidence for acupuncture in golfer’s elbow is limited and low in quality. Some people find it eases pain for a while. It does not strengthen the tendon, so it is at most an add-on to a loading program, not a replacement for one.
Can a cortisone shot fix golfer’s elbow?
A steroid injection can ease pain in the short term. In a trial of 60 elbows, people given a steroid injection had less pain at 6 weeks than those given a placebo injection, but there was no difference at 3 months or at one year. Whether one suits you is a question for your doctor. It does not change why the tendon became overloaded.
Should I wear a golfer’s elbow brace?
A counterforce strap worn just below the inner elbow can ease pain during gripping, lifting and golf for some people. Wear it snug, not tight, for the tasks that hurt, and take it off at rest. A strap does not strengthen the tendon, so use it alongside an exercise program.
What is the difference between golfer’s elbow and tennis elbow?
Golfer’s elbow hurts on the inner side of the elbow and involves the tendon of the muscles that bend the wrist and turn the palm down. Tennis elbow hurts on the outer side and involves the muscles that lift the wrist. Gripping with the wrist bent forward and lifting palm-up provoke golfer’s elbow; gripping with the wrist bent back provokes tennis elbow. Treatment follows the same principles.
When should I see a doctor for golfer’s elbow?
See a doctor the same day if the elbow is hot, red and swollen or you have a fever. See a doctor soon if your ring and little fingers are numb or tingling, your hand is weak, the elbow locks, you felt a pop while throwing, or a child has inner elbow pain from throwing. Also see one if pain has not improved after 6 to 8 weeks of consistent exercise.
Can I keep playing golf with golfer’s elbow?
Often, yes, with less of it. Fewer balls, a lighter grip, and a tee or turf instead of hard mats usually keep you playing while the tendon is loaded back up. If pain is higher the next morning, the dose was too much.
Do I need a referral to see a hand therapist for golfer’s elbow in Singapore?
No. You can see a hand therapist or physiotherapist at Phoenix Rehab Group without a doctor’s referral. If you need a scan, an injection or a surgical opinion, we refer you to a doctor and share our findings. Some insurers ask for a doctor’s referral before they reimburse therapy, so check your policy first.
Sources: 1. Stahl S, Kaufman T. The efficacy of an injection of steroids for medial epicondylitis: a prospective study of sixty elbows. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1997;79(11):1648-1652. 2. Amin NH, Kumar NS, Schickendantz MS. Medial epicondylitis: evaluation and management. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2015;23(6):348-355.
What our patients say
Google reviews from our clinics in Singapore.
Throwers can find every baseball and softball injury, by body part, on baseball and softball injuries. The page on a lateral collateral ligament injury of the elbow covers the ligament on the outer side.
Where are you with this right now?
1. It is settling on its own
Elbow tendon problems settle slowly, over months rather than weeks, and they respond to graded loading rather than to rest alone. If you can grip for longer than you could a month ago, it is responding. You do not need us for this, and we would rather say so.
2. It has stopped improving
You pour the kettle with the other hand. A full mug is a two-handed job. You have stopped carrying the shopping on that side.
A tendon that stops being provoked is not the same as a tendon that got stronger. One is avoidance, the other is capacity. That is the gap worth measuring, and it is not measured by how you feel on the day.
The Stalled Recovery Review is three appointments over three weeks with the same therapist, because what a tendon does under load cannot be read in one visit. The first finds what is limiting it. The next two measure how it responds. $690, nett, no GST, which is three appointments at $230.
3. You have had surgery, or you have a date
Recovery after an operation has a shape, and knowing which stage you are in tells you whether you are on it. See golfer’s elbow surgery and the weeks after it, hand therapy after surgery, or elbow physiotherapy if you are not sure which applies to you.
All of it runs on the same four stages. The Phoenix Recovery Protocol explains what each stage works on and what you have to meet to move up. No referral needed to start.
Next step
Find out which stage you are in
Pain is the first thing to leave. Movement and strength are the last things trained back, and most people stop before that part is done. One Assessment and Treatment is a single 45-minute appointment at $230, nett, no GST. Your therapist finds what is actually limiting you, treats it in the same appointment, and you leave with your current stage and a written plan.
Prefer to phone? Each of our five clinics has its own number on the clinics page. No referral needed to book.
Related reading
Where we are
Clinics across Singapore
ORCHARD
400 Orchard Road #12-12
Orchard Towers, S238875
NS22 Orchard MRT
Physiotherapy and hand therapy in Orchard →
WhatsApp 8800 1830TAMPINES
9 Tampines Grande #01-20
Asia Green, S528735
EW2DT32 Tampines MRT
Physiotherapy and hand therapy in Tampines →
WhatsApp 8780 9608SERANGOON
265 Serangoon Central Drive #04-269
S550265 · Lift C only
NE12CC13 Serangoon MRT
Physiotherapy and hand therapy in Serangoon →
WhatsApp 8892 4121TANJONG PAGAR
10 Anson Road #02-77A
International Plaza, S079903
EW15 Tanjong Pagar MRT
Physiotherapy and hand therapy in Tanjong Pagar →
WhatsApp 8227 7074JURONG EAST
2 Venture Drive #02-02
Vision Exchange, S608526
NS1EW24 Jurong East MRT
Opening 25 October 2026
Physiotherapy and hand therapy in Jurong East →
WhatsApp 8242 7340