Medial Epicondylitis Rehab That Actually Works
If you've been dealing with pain on the inside of your elbow, especially during gripping, lifting, or pulling movements, there’s a good chance you’re dealing with medial epicondylitis, often called golfer’s elbow. And despite the name, you don’t have to swing a golf club to get it. This condition is common in anyone who performs repeated wrist flexion or gripping activities.
What Is Medial Epicondylitis?
Medial epicondylitis is a tendonitis or tendon inflammation of the wrist flexor tendons that attach to the medial epicondyle (the bony bump on the inside of your elbow). Over time, with repetitive strain and or overuse, this area becomes inflamed and painful. You may feel tenderness at the inside of your elbow, pain when gripping objects, or weakness when lifting or turning your wrist.
Why Does It Happen?
Medial epicondylitis typically develops from repetitive stress or overuse, when the muscles and tendons are unable to handle the daily demands placed on them. It can also arise when starting a new activity the body isn’t conditioned for, leading to excessive strain on the tendon.
This condition often shows up in people who:
Lift weights with poor wrist or grip control
Do a lot of pulling, swinging, or gripping (like golfers, climbers, baseball players)
Work manual labor jobs
Spend hours typing at a desk
The Mistake Most People Make
Most people either completely stop using the arm or try to push through the pain. Neither approach helps long-term.
You don’t have to stop training, but you do need to adjust what you’re doing. Think of this like treating a cranky tendon: we want to slowly reintroduce load, build tolerance, and eventually restore full strength.
How I Approach Golfer’s Elbow in the Clinic and Online
Here’s the 4-step process I use with my patients and online clients:
1. Reduce Irritation
Avoid painful movements temporarily, especially heavy gripping or wrist flexion under load.
Try soft tissue massage, voodoo floss, or IASTM (instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization) using tools like the AchedAway Mini Scraper. I perform soft tissue mobilization above and below the tendon, and lightly over the tendon.
Focus on reducing local sensitivity and promoting blood flow to health the tendon heal.
2. Introduce Isometrics
Begin with isometric wrist flexion holds (e.g., hold a light dumbbell in a neutral or flexed position for 30 seconds x 3-5 sets).
This helps decrease pain and begin reloading the tendon safely.
3. Progress to Eccentrics
Progress to eccentric wrist flexion exercises. Slowly lower a dumbbell through the range of motion, using the other hand to help lift it back up.
This builds tendon resilience, helps with tissue lengthening, and improves blood supply.
4. Restore Strength & Function
Add isotonics (wrist curls, pronation/supination, grip strength exercises).
Train the shoulder and scapular stabilizers (rows, carries, etc.)
Don’t forget the kinetic chain. A weak core or poor shoulder stability can overload the forearm.
This is also a good time to return to sport or lifting gradually, monitoring symptoms as you increase volume and intensity.
Final Thoughts
Golfer’s elbow can be frustrating, but it’s very treatable when you know what to do. You don’t have to stop training, you just need to train smarter.
I put together a short video here breaking this process down visually.
If you're dealing with this injury and want custom 1-on-1 help, you can sign up for a free assessment here to work with me online.
