Golfer’s Elbow
Medial Epicondylitis
Relieve pain. Regain control. Restore your lifestyle.
What is Golfer’s Elbow?
Golfer’s Elbow or medial epicondylitis is a condition where the tendons that attach to the inside of your elbow become inflamed or damaged. It causes pain and tenderness on the inner side of the elbow, and sometimes into the wrist and fingers.
Despite the name, it’s not just golfers — anyone who repeatedly uses their wrist, hand, or forearm can get it.
Common Causes
Symptoms of Golfer’s Elbow
Diagnosis & Investigations
Your specialist at Sozo Clinic will carry out a detailed discussion of your symptoms and a clinical examination.
Your Sozo clinician will:
- Press on the inside of your elbow to check for tenderness
- Ask you to move your wrist and fingers against resistance
- Look for signs of weakness, stiffness, or nerve irritation
Usually, a clinical examination is enough. However, to confirm the diagnosis or rule out other problems, we might recommend:
- Ultrasound scan — to check the tendons for swelling or small tears
- MRI scan — if symptoms are severe or not improving, to get a detailed view
- X-rays — to rule out arthritis or a fracture (less common)
Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment can return you to pain free function as soon as possible.
Golfer’s Elbow Release Surgery at Sozo
If conservative treatments fail, surgery may be recommended. This involves removing the damaged part of the tendon on the inside of the elbow and to try and stimulate healing of the healthy tendon. This is usually done by freshening up the bone and allowing it to bleed causing healing cells and chemicals to gather in the area.
The surgery is usually performed through a small open incision (2-3cm). In addition, sometimes a nerve (the ulnar nerve) that runs very close by is involved and requires surgery to release the nerve or move the nerve away from the diseased tendon.
It is performed as a day case procedure either under local anaesthesia or regional techniques.
