Elbow pain usually starts as tendon overload, not injury.
Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) and golfer's elbow (medial epicondylitis) are overuse tendon conditions on opposite sides of the same joint: one on the outside of the elbow, one on the inside, both driven by repetitive gripping and wrist motion. In throwing athletes the pattern is different: repetitive stress on the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) on the inside of the elbow, known as pitcher's elbow in adults and Little League elbow in young throwers whose growth plates are still developing.
Because outside-of-elbow pain, inside-of-elbow pain, and ligament pain can all feel similar at first, an accurate diagnosis of which tendon or ligament is actually involved changes the entire treatment plan. That is where we start every elbow evaluation.
These are the elbow injuries we see most often.
Where the pain sits, outside or inside the elbow, and what makes it worse usually points straight to which tendon or ligament is involved.
Outer Elbow Injury
Pain and tenderness on the outside of the elbow, the hallmark of tennis elbow, often worse when gripping or lifting with the palm down.
Inner Elbow Injury
Pain on the inside of the elbow from golfer's elbow or, in throwing athletes, from stress on the UCL.
Pain During Throwing
Inside-elbow pain that shows up specifically during the throwing motion, a hallmark sign of UCL stress in overhead athletes.
Little League Elbow
Growth-plate overuse pain in young throwers whose bones are still developing, requiring a more conservative approach than in adults.
Weak Grip Strength
A noticeably weaker grip on the affected side as tendon irritation limits how much load the forearm muscles can produce.
Pain With Gripping or Lifting
Pain that flares specifically with grip-loaded activities: a racket, a golf club, a dumbbell, or a tool.
Find the tissue. Treat the tissue. Rebuild the load.
Elbow pain treatment at Athlete Pro Sports Medicine starts with pinpointing exactly which tendon or ligament is irritated: the common extensor tendon in tennis elbow, the common flexor tendon in golfer's elbow, or the UCL in throwing athletes. Hands-on manual therapy addresses the elbow, wrist, and shoulder together, since restrictions anywhere along that chain change how much stress lands on the elbow.
From there we layer in dry needling to release the tight forearm muscles feeding the irritated tendon, shockwave therapy for chronic tennis and golfer's elbow that has not responded to rest, and IASTM to break down the scar tissue and adhesions that build up around a long-standing tendon injury.
No referral needed. Cash-pay: no visit limits, no prior authorizations, no insurance company deciding when you're done. In most cases, you can be seen within the same week.
What our patients say.
"Dealing with forearm injury for 4 months. After first session Taylor showed me exercises that made pain go away immediately! Very grateful and heading right!"Nick L. · Elbow Injury
Talk to a Specialist
No referral needed. Cash-pay, no insurance limits, no prior authorizations. Same-week appointments available.
Your first visit is a full, one-on-one evaluation: come in, tell us everything, and leave with a plan.
You’re all set.
We’ll reach out within one business day to confirm your appointment. If you need to speak with us sooner, call us directly.