Quick answer. Golfer’s elbow, or medial epicondylitis, is pain on the inner side of the elbow, where the muscles that flex your wrist and grip attach by tendon. Repetitive gripping and wrist flexion irritate that tendon. The tendon irritation is a medical diagnosis. Sports massage addresses the chronically overloaded forearm and the shoulder and upper-arm tension feeding it, which is often part of what keeps the elbow aggravated. It works alongside medical care, not instead of it.
By David Iler, LMT, CPT. Licensed massage therapist since 2004, certified personal trainer, and founder of Iler Method® massage therapy in Austin, Texas. Updated July 2026.
What golfer’s elbow actually is
Golfer’s elbow is the common name for medial epicondylitis. Pain and tenderness on the inner side of the elbow, where the muscles that flex the wrist and grip attach by tendon to the bone. Despite the name, golf is only one cause. Any repetitive gripping and wrist-flexing activity can bring it on. Racket sports, throwing, weight training, and plenty of trades and hobbies that involve gripping tools.
It is the inner-elbow counterpart to tennis elbow. The difference is which motion drives it. Golfer’s elbow comes from wrist flexion and gripping, the palm-down curling motion, and it hits the inner elbow. Tennis elbow comes from wrist extension, the lifting-and-backhand motion, and hits the outer elbow. If your pain is on the outside of the elbow instead, see our piece on tennis elbow. Either way, the tendon irritation itself is a medical matter, and persistent or worsening elbow pain should be evaluated by a professional.
Why the elbow is rarely the whole story
The forearm muscles that flex your wrist and drive your grip do not work alone. They are the lower end of a continuous muscle chain that runs up through the elbow, the upper arm, and the shoulder. When the shoulder and upper arm carry chronic tension, whether from posture, desk work, or repetitive use, the forearm ends up doing more than its share. Those overworked tracking muscles keep pulling on the already-irritated tendon at the inner elbow. Our piece on muscle overcompensation explains how that chain-loading pattern builds over time.
This is why working only at the sore elbow tends to give short-lived relief. The forearm muscles stay chronically overloaded, and the tension feeding them from above goes unaddressed. Releasing the whole chain, forearm, upper arm, and shoulder, takes the strain off the elbow rather than just rubbing the sore spot.
Why the inner elbow is usually the last link to break down, not the first
By the time the inner elbow is sore, the muscular overload driving it has typically been building for a long time. The tendon irritation is late in the sequence, not early.
The chain that loads the elbow runs up through the forearm, upper arm, and shoulder. For most people who develop golfer’s elbow, the upper part of that chain has been chronically overloaded through years of desk work, forward posture, and repetitive gripping well before the elbow became an issue. The forearm flexors bear that load with every grip and wrist curl. Over time they become the most overloaded link, and the inner-elbow tendon, taking the mechanical pull of those muscles day after day, eventually becomes irritated and sore.
The inner elbow is where it finally got loud. The pattern behind it has been running longer than the pain.
What this work can and cannot do
The honest split.
- What it does not do. Massage does not heal a tendon or cure medial epicondylitis. That is the body’s repair process, guided by medical care, often involving rest, specific loading programs, and changes in activity.
- What it does do. Hands-on work releases the hyper-contracted forearm flexors and the shoulder and upper-arm tension feeding them, restoring independent tissue glide so the muscles stop dragging on the tendon.
Our piece on trigger points and adhesions explains what those restrictions are and why releasing them takes the load off the area. For many people, that muscular overload is a major reason the inner elbow stays aggravated, which is where this work earns its place. As a complement to the medical side, not a replacement.
How Iler Method approaches it
It starts with a Discovery Session. A short intake conversation, a movement assessment of how you load the arm and shoulder, and an on-table evaluation by hand to find the overloaded muscles along the tracking chain. See our piece on the Discovery Session for what that first visit includes.
Everybody carries a built-in rightward asymmetric structural weight distribution, and the muscle chains that manage it can place uneven demands on the upper body over years of forward-only living. From that assessment, the work releases the trigger points and adhesions from the forearm up through the shoulder, restoring independent glide so the forearm is no longer overworked and the inner elbow gets a break.
The room is set up for clinical focus.
- Oil-free and fully clothed. You stay in comfortable clothing you can move in, so there is no cleanup or greasy feeling afterward. Working without oil gives the therapist the friction to anchor into the tissue layers precisely, rather than sliding over the surface of a restriction.
- No background music. A quiet room means clear, real-time communication. Describing what you feel as the work goes keeps the pressure precise, productive, and in a tolerable, good-hurt range.
You also leave with a targeted self-care plan. Forearm and grip-rest guidance, heat and ice, and ergonomic adjustments to take repetitive strain off the area between sessions. Most clients follow either a six-session plan for a defined, recent pattern, or a twelve-session plan when the tension has been building across the arm and shoulder for years.
Frequently asked questions
Can massage cure golfer’s elbow?
No. Golfer’s elbow is tendon irritation that heals through the body’s repair process and with medical care. Massage addresses the overloaded forearm and shoulder muscles around it, which often keep the elbow aggravated, as a complement to that care.
What is the difference between golfer’s elbow and tennis elbow?
Golfer’s elbow is on the inner elbow, from wrist flexion and gripping. Tennis elbow is on the outer elbow, from wrist extension. Both are tendon-attachment irritation, just on opposite sides, driven by opposite motions.
Why would my shoulder matter for inner-elbow pain?
Because the forearm flexors are the end of a chain running up through the elbow and shoulder. Higher-up tension overworks the forearm, which keeps pulling on the irritated tendon at the inner elbow. See our piece on referred pain for how a load higher in the chain produces symptoms at its endpoint.
Should I see a doctor for golfer’s elbow?
Yes, for persistent or worsening elbow pain. A diagnosis guides care and rules out other causes. The muscular work then fits alongside it.
What should I expect in a session?
Oil-free, fully clothed, no music, firm but tolerable pressure along the forearm-to-shoulder chain, plus self-care and ergonomic guidance for between sessions.
Inner-elbow pain that will not settle down?
If gripping and wrist motion keep aggravating the inside of your elbow, the overloaded forearm and shoulder feeding it are what this work can help with, alongside your medical care.
Ready to experience the work? Schedule Now: https://ilermethod.com/
The Pain Map: Why Being Strong & Fit Isn’t Enough is available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/07LpKbbU
Disclaimer. Iler Method is a massage therapy practice. Our services are not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Persistent or worsening elbow pain should be evaluated by a qualified physician.
