Working Out With Golfer's Elbow: What You Can Still Train

Working out with golfer’s elbow usually means you can keep training most of your body while swapping the curls, rows and hard gripping that aggravate the inner elbow, and a physician or physical therapist should assess the elbow first. Pain on the inner side of the elbow is not always golfer’s elbow, and other causes, including nerve problems, need different handling. Once the diagnosis is clear, a free consultation can help organize a program around the tender spot.

What is actually irritated

The inner elbow bump is the anchor point for the tendons that flex your wrist and fingers. Repeated gripping, pulling and wrist flexing, whether from a golf swing, a desk job or heavy lifting, can leave that tendon sore. Pain often shows up when you grip, curl or shake hands. Because it is a load-related tendon problem, it generally responds to adjusting how much and what kind of load you give it, which is why complete rest is not always the answer.

What usually keeps going

A lot of a training week can continue when the elbow tolerates it:

• Lower body. Squats, leg presses, hip hinges with straps or a hex bar and lunges, as long as the grip does not hurt.
• Core. Bodyweight and cable work that does not load the forearm.
• Pushing. Chest and shoulder pressing with neutral handles or machines often feel acceptable.
• Cardio. Cycling, incline walking and the rower, though the rower’s handle may be worth testing carefully.

What usually needs a swap

Anything that loads wrist flexors or demands hard gripping is a candidate for change:

Typical trigger	Swap to try
Heavy barbell or dumbbell curls	Lighter cable curls with a neutral handle, or a pause on curls while the elbow settles
Pull-ups and heavy rows	Straps, a thicker grip or machine-supported pulls
Deadlifts with a tight grip	Straps or a hex bar with neutral handles
Farmer carries	Reduce load and duration, or substitute sled work with a harness
Wrist curls	Set aside while it is irritated

Rebuilding the tendon

Tendons tend to adapt to progressive load applied steadily and calmly. A rehab-style approach, commonly guided by a therapist, may include slow, controlled wrist and grip exercises at a level that causes only mild, short-lived discomfort. The load rises in small steps over weeks. This is where a coach and a therapist work well together: the therapist sets the exercise and the limit, and the coach keeps the broader program in line. A similar philosophy applies to the outer elbow in the tennis elbow page.

Warning signs

Contact a physician if you have numbness or tingling in the ring and little fingers, a hot swollen elbow, pain after a fall or a pop, or pain that is spreading or worsening despite changes.

Questions to ask your clinician first

1. Is this golfer’s elbow, or something else?
2. How much pain is acceptable during and after training?
3. Which exercises and grips should I avoid for now?
4. Is a brace, strap or therapy plan appropriate?
5. When should I recheck if it does not improve?

The coach’s part

A coach modifies your program, introduces grip aids, keeps your other lifts moving and tracks the elbow’s response week to week. A coach does not diagnose the cause of elbow pain or prescribe treatment. At FlexWerk in Carmel City Center, a private room with a range of handles and cable attachments lets you test options without a queue, and each coach sets their own terms. For joints that move too freely rather than too painfully, the hypermobility page is the better read. This page is general information, not medical advice.