How is Golfer's Elbow different from Tennis Elbow?

by Rob


I am active in various sports and just finished my senior year of high school.

I was a quarterback in football and wrestled too. My dad is big into squash so I play that too.

I've been having ache and pain in my right arm. It was around the last half of the football season, and felt it through wrestling and squash.

It never got horrible, but I'm the only guy on my teams that have this.

Is this tendonitis? Aren't I too young for tendonitis?

And I've looked into it online, and it seems I have both Golfers elbow and Tennis Elbow. Can you have both?

I read your website. Is there really no difference between them other than the side of the arm they're on?

I want to play college ball, but this pain isn't going away. Will it go away on it's own? Please advise.


Joshua Answers:

Hey Rob.

No, you're not too young for Tendonitis. Young athletes across the country can take their bodies towards a state of pain and problem just like anybody else can.

You just still have youth on your side.

You grip and throw with your arm.

You grip and swing with your arm.

You do all sorts of things while wrestling that require your forearm muscles to work hard.

Over and over.

And it's likely that nutrition plays a role for you.

Cut the sugar, the processed foods, add in raw milk, Bone Broth, more protein and more organic dark green leafy vegetables.

Even doctors now say that vitamins and mineral supplementation is something everyone should be doing. (And if doctors ever say anything about -prevention-, you know they're a good 20 years behind the curve of research
and current knowledge/wisdom)

Yes, the only real difference between Golfer's Elbow and Tennis Elbow is the side of the forearm that it's on.

Yes, you can certainly have both. Tendonitis is a dynamic that exactly matches the activities a person does with their body.

See: What Is Tendonitis?

If you want to play college ball without pain, you better get to work learning the self-care that you will need to continue to use your body the way you do -and- counter the side-effects.

I just worked on a bunch of top tier athletes this last weekend at the 2009 Crossfit Games.

Some were 'rock hard'. Some were 'soft as butter'.

The difference? Enough of the right kind of self-care: massage, self-massage (like with a foam roller), nutrition, enough sleep, enough water, etc.

My point is, if you work out X amount, you will need to do Y amount of self-care to keep your body soft, relaxed, etc.

This will help you stay injury free.

Get to work. If you have any questions, let me know.



Joshua Tucker, B.A., C.M.T.
The Tendonitis Expert

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May 02, 2012
tennis elbow as a teenager
by: George

I am in highschool and have had pain in my elbow for over a month now. Some days its worse and some days better. I have not been to a dr. and only assume tennis elbow is the condition. Before the pain developed, I had been wrestling and weightlifting regularly which I believe brought on the condition.

For 3 weeks I have done nearly nothing active, but have only had minimal improvement. I have followed RICE to no prevail. I am beginning to worry that i will never be able to return to weightlifting or sports again due to the pain from my elbow.

(Note: when i first started to feel the pain i was in the middle of a wrestling match. Prior to this i kept hitting my funny bone on objects which would send a tingling sensation down my whole arm. I dont know if this is in anyway related.)


Joshua Comments:

Hi George.

Well, hopefully your arm is just irritated due to hitting the funny bone repeatedly. Mess up the nerve, the nerve sends messed up signals, etc.

1. Have your mom get your Vit D level checked. (Have her get hers checked too, it's very important.)

2. See: Magnesium for Tendonitis

3. Learn How To Reduce Inflammation.

Ice dip as described, magnesium, and get your Vit D level checked, and let me know what happens.

Aug 01, 2015
Excruciating pain in my elbow after hitting funny bone
by: Jeremy

I was at work today when I hit my elbow on my desk. There wasn't much pain, no more than it normal would hurt when you hit your funny bone.

However a few minutes later I went to straighten my arm out and had unbarable pain about where the ulna ends.

Since then it's been several hrs and anytime I twist my arm or straighten it, it's unbearable.

However if I straighten it slowly I does not hurt.

Only injury to this arm is a hyperextended elbow several years back. No issues since. No swelling or bruising as of this time. I do a lot lifting at work and afraid of hurting it further.


Joshua Comments:

Hi Jeremy.

I'm guessing the pain etc has all gone away by now.

If you hit your funny bone (nerve) and it sent a shock through the system, etc, it's not uncommon to experience what you describe.

One thing that can/does happen when you hit your funny bone is that (among other things) there is a big surge in electrical activity resulting in various chemical reaction and muscle contraction.

And it messes with the wiring/signal for a while. This results in tightness, ache, pain, etc.

Sort of like dropping a rock into a pond, there are ripples that eventually diminish.

Granted, if you bruise the soft tissue anywhere in there, pain can last even longer...and that dials up a Pain Causing Dynamic.

See Related: Pain Around Elbow For About 5 Months Now

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