Both golfer’s elbow and tennis elbow are types of Cumulative Trauma Disorders. Golfer’s elbow is less common than as its cousin, tennis elbow, yet both are forms of elbow tendinitis. While tennis elbow is the result of damage to the tendons on the outer elbow, golfer’s elbow stems from tendon injuries located on the inside of the elbow.
The source of the inflammation in both these conditions must be confronted in order to achieve complete recovery. Chronic muscular contraction brought on by overexertion or joint dysfunction is the most common cause. The constant pull on the tendons can diminish the already poor circulation to the tendons, which, in turn, become inflamed — a condition known as tendonitis. Ultimately, scar tissue will develop, resulting in stiffness and weakening of the soft tissues.
Realistically, treatments that focus solely on the tendons, with the intention of reducing the inflammation are merely Band-Aids; and would produce temporary and mediocre results, at best. Moreover, given the aforementioned, it follows that strength training would exacerbate the tendon strain and result in further tissue inflammation.