What did my golfer’s elbow turn into?

[Headfreak]

Hi, it all started in October 2024 with a classic golfer’s elbow and pain at the medial epicondyle. I then received physiotherapy and did the exercises my physiotherapist gave me. However, instead of getting better, it kept getting worse, even with minimal strain. After about 8–9 months, I also developed protective muscle tension in my arm.
At some point, the golfer’s elbow itself disappeared, but the pain moved to a different location. When I feel the medial epicondyle of my right arm from the bottom and move slightly to the right, I can feel a groove between the medial epicondyle and the elbow bone. If I follow this groove further down toward the forearm, about 2–5 cm, I sometimes feel pain there.
No one has really been able to tell me what it is. I’ve been to doctors, physiotherapists, osteopaths, and so on, but nobody can properly explain it, and it just doesn’t go away.
The pain always starts after exertion. For example, if I carry something, it starts hurting afterward. The same happens when I play tennis—the pain sets in with a delay after the activity.
I just wanted to ask if anyone has an idea what this could be or if anyone has experienced something similar. As of today, the protective muscle tension in my arm is gone, but the problem with pain after exertion in that “groove” remains.
Sorry for my not-so-good English, I’m not a native speaker.

 

[Headfreak]

Is there unfortunately no one here who can say something about this or who has experienced it themselves and can help me?

 

[PKorda]

You've seen doctors, physiotherapists and osteopaths, how is some guy on a message board going to be able to help?

 

[Headfreak]

Through personal experience. After all, it does happen that different people suffer from the same thing.

 

[Shroud]

Hi, it all started in October 2024 with a classic golfer’s elbow and pain at the medial epicondyle. I then received physiotherapy and did the exercises my physiotherapist gave me. However, instead of getting better, it kept getting worse, even with minimal strain. After about 8–9 months, I also developed protective muscle tension in my arm.
At some point, the golfer’s elbow itself disappeared, but the pain moved to a different location. When I feel the medial epicondyle of my right arm from the bottom and move slightly to the right, I can feel a groove between the medial epicondyle and the elbow bone. If I follow this groove further down toward the forearm, about 2–5 cm, I sometimes feel pain there.
No one has really been able to tell me what it is. I’ve been to doctors, physiotherapists, osteopaths, and so on, but nobody can properly explain it, and it just doesn’t go away.
The pain always starts after exertion. For example, if I carry something, it starts hurting afterward. The same happens when I play tennis—the pain sets in with a delay after the activity.
I just wanted to ask if anyone has an idea what this could be or if anyone has experienced something similar. As of today, the protective muscle tension in my arm is gone, but the problem with pain after exertion in that “groove” remains.
Sorry for my not-so-good English, I’m not a native speaker.

Its just a guess a bit from experience but usually these issues are caused by tight muscles. They are muscles you don’t even know are tight unless you poke at them. But they get tight and pull on the tendon. That is why it gets worse after exertion.

Get a baseball or even a tennis ball could work and massage your forearm. And do it alot to keep things loose and keep blood flow.

Also get a bigger grip and don’t squeeze tight. Squeeze as loose as possible when playing.

Heat can help too

 

[Zodd]

Hi, it all started in October 2024 with a classic golfer’s elbow and pain at the medial epicondyle. I then received physiotherapy and did the exercises my physiotherapist gave me. However, instead of getting better, it kept getting worse, even with minimal strain. After about 8–9 months, I also developed protective muscle tension in my arm.
At some point, the golfer’s elbow itself disappeared, but the pain moved to a different location. When I feel the medial epicondyle of my right arm from the bottom and move slightly to the right, I can feel a groove between the medial epicondyle and the elbow bone. If I follow this groove further down toward the forearm, about 2–5 cm, I sometimes feel pain there.
No one has really been able to tell me what it is. I’ve been to doctors, physiotherapists, osteopaths, and so on, but nobody can properly explain it, and it just doesn’t go away.
The pain always starts after exertion. For example, if I carry something, it starts hurting afterward. The same happens when I play tennis—the pain sets in with a delay after the activity.
I just wanted to ask if anyone has an idea what this could be or if anyone has experienced something similar. As of today, the protective muscle tension in my arm is gone, but the problem with pain after exertion in that “groove” remains.
Sorry for my not-so-good English, I’m not a native speaker.

I'd say the best thing is to get a second opinion from a specialist you trust and fully understands the issue as you describe it. It sounds like you have had some bad luck with those you have visited so far so maybe ask around among friends or perhaps some of those you play sports with if someone has one they can recommend.

The new pain you describe could very well be related to the protective muscle tension you mention. If it only shows up after exertion but then goes away again I would try to avoid any activity that aggrevates it for at least a few weeks and in the meantime see about getting that second opinion.

 

[Headfreak]

@Shroud and @Zodd Thanks for your advices. My forearm looks pretty loose, but I will try to massage my forearm with a ball. Perhaps it will work. The specialists I have seen are related to Tennis. But I guess your are right I have to get a second opinion. Rest definitely does not work.....

 

[cha cha]

This usually ends up with me getting dragged into a conversation with a lot of soft people, but I will keep repeating myself.

If any kind of elbow injury is not solvable for you, you are not fit.

Get fit.
I'm not talking about going to a doctor or a physio and following their advice designed for pensioners. All they can usually do is prescribe rest and hope the body heals itself. That's their job. And as you can see, rest doesn't do anything.
I'm not talking about flexibars or other nonsense. Nothing specific will work unless you learn to feel your muscles working.

Get into the gym and learn how to control your muscles. Learn what a working biceps, triceps and forearm feel like. Learn how to rehab them properly and with light weight.
I promise you it will exceed all the doctors you ever visit.

 

[Headfreak]

@cha cha I may be misunderstanding the tone of your opening, but I do appreciate the constructive points you make afterwards. Thanks for sharing your perspective and you’re probably right...

 

[Zodd]

Rest definitely does not work.....

For how long did you rest your arm? And with rest I mean avoiding doing ANY movements that aggravates the issue and causes the pain you describe.

 

[Shroud]

This usually ends up with me getting dragged into a conversation with a lot of soft people, but I will keep repeating myself.

If any kind of elbow injury is not solvable for you, you are not fit.

Get fit.
I'm not talking about going to a doctor or a physio and following their advice designed for pensioners. All they can usually do is prescribe rest and hope the body heals itself. That's their job. And as you can see, rest doesn't do anything.
I'm not talking about flexibars or other nonsense. Nothing specific will work unless you learn to feel your muscles working.

Get into the gym and learn how to control your muscles. Learn what a working biceps, triceps and forearm feel like. Learn how to rehab them properly and with light weight.
I promise you it will exceed all the doctors you ever visit.

Its a solid point about getting fit.

I am definitely one of those soft people you are talking about. I get water in 5 gallon glass bottles with no handles and struggle getting them in and out of the cart and carrying them through the house. There are only 4 bottles and my left bicep is always sore the next day.

Never cancelled a tennis match or refused to play because of an elbow injury in the last 15 years or more

Turn to my body builder tennis buddy. Dude got a shirt from the marines for doing 50 pull ups and has done more cardio in one week than I have in months. Dude is physically fit. He went a month or so not playing due to tennis elbow. He healed super quick once I told him about stretching and heat.

So sure, being fit is huge but its not exactly the silver bullet you are portraying.

 

[cha cha]

Its a solid point about getting fit.

I am definitely one of those soft people you are talking about. I get water in 5 gallon glass bottles with no handles and struggle getting them in and out of the cart and carrying them through the house. There are only 4 bottles and my left bicep is always sore the next day.

Never cancelled a tennis match or refused to play because of an elbow injury in the last 15 years or more

Turn to my body builder tennis buddy. Dude got a shirt from the marines for doing 50 pull ups and has done more cardio in one week than I have in months. Dude is physically fit. He went a month or so not playing due to tennis elbow. He healed super quick once I told him about stretching and heat.

So sure, being fit is huge but its not exactly the silver bullet you are portraying.

I got no problem with stretching and heat. It's better than sitting and waiting.
Regarding your friend, it's like all your stories. A little out of this world. Dude can do 50 pull ups yet he needs to be informed about stretching by you.

 

[esgee48]

Marines are called jarheads for a reason …

 

[Shroud]

I got no problem with stretching and heat. It's better than sitting and waiting.
Regarding your friend, it's like all your stories. A little out of this world. Dude can do 50 pull ups yet he needs to be informed about stretching by you.

Yeah elbow issues are counterintuitive. Even gym rats can not understand them especially because the tight muscles that pull on the tendons you can’t feel them unless you touch them. Otherwise you don’t even know they are tight. They are tiny muscles.

What I said is true. Here is a vid that shows him wearing his marine shirt with the back talking about pain is weakness leaving the body (0:46) and you can maybe make out the marine logo and name on the front at 7:12 or so:

Also here is a group text where he talks about his elbow:


And where he talks about his healing much faster with heat (wonder where he got that idea?)


The only thing I don’t have evidence for was the advice about heat and stretching/ massage. That happened on a change over months ago. But it did happen.

What other stories are “a little out of this world”? I don’t come on here making stuff up.

 

[cha cha]

Yeah elbow issues are counterintuitive. Even gym rats can not understand them especially because the tight muscles that pull on the tendons you can’t feel them unless you touch them. Otherwise you don’t even know they are tight. They are tiny muscles.

What I said is true. Here is a vid that shows him wearing his marine shirt with the back talking about pain is weakness leaving the body (0:46) and you can maybe make out the marine logo and name on the front at 7:12 or so:

Also here is a group text where he talks about his elbow:


And where he talks about his healing much faster with heat (wonder where he got that idea?)


The only thing I don’t have evidence for was the advice about heat and stretching/ massage. That happened on a change over months ago. But it did happen.

What other stories are “a little out of this world”? I don’t come on here making stuff up.

Everything about you is insane.
You're a 50-year-old out of shape dude playing with a 500g racket with grip 15.
I'm not saying you're lying. I'm saying human laws don't apply to you.

 

[Shroud]

Everything about you is insane.
You're a 50-year-old out of shape dude playing with a 500g racket with grip 15.
I'm not saying you're lying. I'm saying human laws don't apply to you.

Fwiw its 427g. The sw is currently 511. “Playing” is probably open to debate. And because I had major elbow issues (couldn’t shave or lift a coffee mug, etc) i now use a big handle and heavy racquet. Less likely to need to grip tight and squeeze alot when you win the collision and the handle just stays in your hand. Hard to get tight muscles if you don’t grip hard.

I would rephrase that myself and say “human claimed limitations”.

I agree with you about being not being soft. Especially mentally. Most people are soft mentally and are happily put in a box by society. Right now the current tennis box is low sw and rhs which imho will only lead to elbow issues or wrist for most.

 

[Headfreak]

@Zodd I really took a break. I had rest for 3 month.