TENNIS AND GOLFER’S ELBOW · SHELLHARBOUR
Tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow still not settling?
Pain on the outside or inside of your elbow that makes gripping, lifting the kettle or a day at the keyboard hard. Our Shellharbour physiotherapists find what is overloading the tendon, settle the pain and build the strength that lets it recover.
- Free phone consultation, free advice
- No GP referral needed
- A tendon loading plan, not just rest
Book a free phone consultation
Free advice about your elbow from a physiotherapist, before you book anything. Leave your details and we will call you.
No cost and no obligation to book. We usually call back the same business day.
THE CONDITION
What are tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow?
Both are tendon problems, not joint problems. Tennis elbow (lateral elbow tendinopathy) affects the tendons on the outside of the elbow that lift the wrist and fingers. Golfer’s elbow (medial elbow tendinopathy) affects the tendons on the inside that bend the wrist and grip. Despite the names, most people who get them do not play tennis or golf. The common drivers we see:
Repetitive gripping
Tools, cleaning, carrying and lifting that load the forearm tendons over and over.
A sudden jump in load
A new job, a weekend renovation or a training spike that arrived faster than the tendon could adapt.
Desk and mouse work
Hours of small, sustained wrist and finger work, often with little variety.
Racquet and club sports
Tennis, padel, squash and golf, especially with a technique or equipment change.
Gym and lifting
Pulling, curls, pressing and grip-heavy work, often after a return to training.
Rested but never rebuilt
The pain eased with rest, then came straight back because the tendon was never strengthened.
When to see a GP promptly: elbow pain after a fall or a heavy impact, swelling, heat or redness around the joint, fever, numbness or weakness in the hand that is getting worse, or an elbow you cannot fully bend or straighten. Get it checked first, then we can help with the rehabilitation.
OUR APPROACH
How we treat tennis and golfer’s elbow at RX.
Tendons get better with the right load, not with endless rest. Your plan starts with an assessment and moves through four steps, at the pace your elbow allows.
Assess and explain
We confirm whether it is tennis or golfer’s elbow, check the neck, nerves and joint so nothing is missed, and explain what is overloading the tendon.
Settle the pain
Hands-on treatment where it helps, such as massage and dry needling, plus changes to the tasks that flare it, so daily life hurts less.
Rebuild the tendon
Progressive loading for the wrist, forearm and grip, then the shoulder and upper back, tracked in our app so you can see it building.
Back to what you do
A graded return to the gym, the tools, the court or the course, with a plan for flare-ups so a bad day is not a setback.
IS THIS FOR YOU?
This is for you if your elbow keeps getting in the way.
Elbow tendinopathy is common and it is treatable, but it rarely settles by ignoring it. If any of these sound familiar, a free phone consultation is a good place to start.
SOUND FAMILIAR?
- Gripping, lifting or turning a door handle hurts
- You have been told it is tennis or golfer’s elbow
- The pain is affecting your sleep or your work
- You have had an injection and the pain has come back
- You would like to try an exercise-based plan first
- You rested it, and it returned as soon as you got busy again
THE RX ACTIVE HEALTH DIFFERENCE
Rehab is step one. The rest of the building is the long game.
Most clinics treat you, discharge you and wave goodbye. RX Physiotherapy sits inside RX Active Health, a 1300sqm centre with a 24/7 gym, coached strength training, reformer Pilates and recovery rooms. So when treatment ends, your rehab graduates into real training with the same team, in the same building, instead of stopping dead.
Physiotherapy
Assessment, treatment and rehabilitation, led by your plan.
The gym and coaching
Graduate into coached strength training and 24/7 access when you are ready.
Recovery rooms
Sauna and cold plunge to support the work, steps from the clinic.
FAQ
Questions people ask about elbow pain.
What is the free phone consultation?
A free call with a physiotherapist to talk through your elbow, what might be going on and whether physiotherapy is the right next step. There is no cost and no obligation to book.
How long does tennis elbow take to get better?
It depends on how long it has been there and how irritable it is. Tendons adapt slowly, so plans usually run over weeks rather than days. You will get an honest estimate at your first appointment.
Should I rest my elbow completely?
Usually not. Complete rest takes the pain down for a while but also lets the tendon lose strength. Most people do best by changing the tasks that flare it while strength work builds tolerance.
Is golfer's elbow treated differently from tennis elbow?
The principles are the same, but the tendons, the painful movements and the exercises are different, which is why an assessment matters before you start a program.
Do I need a brace or a strap?
Sometimes. A forearm strap can ease pain during aggravating tasks for some people. It is a short-term aid that sits alongside the exercise plan, not the treatment itself.
Do I need a referral or a scan?
No. You can book directly, and most tennis and golfer’s elbow is diagnosed from your history and a physical assessment without imaging. If a scan would change your treatment, we will explain why.
THE PODCAST
Hear our physios talk through recovery, properly.
Book your elbow assessment, or start with a free call.
Book online in under a minute, or request a free phone consultation and a physiotherapist will call you with advice about your elbow.
Unit 1/35 Shellharbour Road, Lake Illawarra NSW 2528