Most people with tennis elbow have never played tennis. It is a tendon problem at the elbow caused by repeated gripping and wrist work — so it turns up in tradespeople, lifters, climbers, hairdressers and anyone who has spent a weekend with a screwdriver.
Tennis elbow is on the outside of the elbow. Golfer’s elbow is the same problem on the inside. The treatment principles are the same.
What usually causes it
The tendon is loaded more than it can currently tolerate — repeatedly, over weeks. A new job, a new grip, a new training block, a house move. The forearm muscles tighten, the tendon at their attachment gets irritated, and gripping starts to hurt.
It is usually a load problem rather than an injury. Nothing tore.
What treatment involves
Soft tissue work through the forearm to release the muscles pulling on the tendon, plus specific work at the attachment itself. Trigger points in the forearm extensors often refer pain straight into the elbow and are frequently the reason it has not settled.
The important part is load management. Tendons respond to graded loading, not to rest alone — total rest tends to leave a tendon that hurts again the moment you use it. That means a progressive strengthening plan, and adjusting what provoked it.
How long it takes
Longer than people want to hear. Tendons are slow tissue — often several weeks to a few months. It responds well, but it responds gradually, and stopping the exercises once it feels better is the most common reason it comes back.