I Have Golfer’s Elbow and It Hurts When I Make a Fist

Making a fist can cause pain in your inner elbow or forearm because golfer’s elbow affects the tendon and muscles used to grip and squeeze.

You may notice the pain as soon as you close your hand tightly, especially when you squeeze your fingers hard or hold the fist for several seconds. The discomfort can stay near the inner elbow or travel a short distance down the forearm, making something as simple as gripping a handle feel surprisingly painful.

Golfer’s elbow affects the tendon connected to the muscles that help you bend your wrist and grip with your hand. When those muscles have been repeatedly stressed, making a fist can reproduce the same pulling sensation because you are asking the irritated area to contract again. You may also notice tenderness around the inner elbow or soreness that lingers after gripping activity.

Your Inner Elbow Hurts As You Tighten Your Fist

The pain may grab along the inside of your elbow when you squeeze your hand into a tight fist.

You might feel the discomfort build as your fingers curl and you squeeze harder, rather than simply from closing your hand loosely. This happens because the muscles responsible for gripping are working through the same area affected by golfer’s elbow, so a stronger fist can make the pain more noticeable.

Your Forearm Stays Sore After Repeated Gripping

Your forearm may remain sore even after you stop making a fist or gripping something.

You may notice that the fist itself is not the only problem, with soreness showing up when you pick up a mug, turn a handle, carry something, or grip again later. If the area has not had enough time to settle between activities, repeated gripping can keep bringing the same pain back.

Why Your Inner Elbow Pain Keeps Returning With Gripping

Your elbow can take longer to recover when blood flow and circulation are reduced.

Muscles, tendons, ligaments, and other soft tissues can become irritated or strained through repeated movement, overuse, awkward movements, prolonged positions, or everyday activities. Some of these tissues, particularly tendons and ligaments, naturally receive less blood supply than many other parts of the body and may take longer to recover after irritation or injury. Recovery can take even longer when the same movements or activities continue to place stress on them.

Reduced circulation through the area can make it harder for the tissues to receive the oxygen and nutrients they need to heal properly. This can leave your elbow feeling sore, tight, weak, stiff, or painful during everyday activities.

How To Help Your Elbow Feel Better

Improving blood flow and circulation can help your elbow feel better.

For centuries, Chinese herbs have been used to support healthy blood flow and circulation. Their medicinal properties help disperse stagnant blood and excess fluids that can collect around irritated or injured tissues and restrict normal circulation. As circulation begins moving more freely, fresh blood can better deliver oxygen and nutrients throughout the area to help it recover properly.

Topical remedies containing these Chinese herbs can help relieve pain and other symptoms while supporting healthy blood flow and circulation around the elbow. The right product depends on your symptoms and whether the problem is recent or has been ongoing for some time.

If you have pain, swelling, inflammation, or bruising, Bruise Relief Liniment helps relieve these symptoms by increasing circulation and dispersing stagnant blood and fluids around the irritated tissues. As circulation improves, fresh blood, oxygen, and nutrients can more easily reach the tissues that need them for healing.

If the area is especially swollen, red, or warm after a recent injury or flare-up, Ice Substitute Poultice can also be used to reduce swelling and inflammation while dispersing accumulated blood and fluids. As swelling and trapped fluids are reduced, circulation can move more freely through the area.

If you no longer have swelling or inflammation, but still have pain, stiffness, weakness, or sensitivity in cold weather, Pain Relief Liniment helps relieve these symptoms by strongly stimulating circulation and increasing blood flow to irritated tendons and ligaments. This is especially important because tendons and ligaments naturally receive less blood supply and can take longer to recover.

If you continue to have pain or stiffness around an injured tendon or ligament, or the area feels more painful in cold weather, Tendon and Ligament Poultice can also be used to further stimulate circulation to the area. By increasing circulation, it helps offset the reduced blood flow caused by cold weather, which can aggravate chronic tendon and ligament injuries.

If your muscles feel sore or tight, or if you are preparing for exercise or strenuous activity, Muscle Therapy Massage Oil warms and stimulates the muscles, increases circulation, relieves tightness, and improves flexibility. Using it before activity helps warm up the muscles, while applying it afterward can help relieve soreness and stiffness.

Frequently Asked Questions

You may also find these commonly asked questions helpful.

Why does my golfer’s elbow hurt when I make a fist?

Making a fist contracts the muscles used for gripping, which can reproduce pain from a strained golfer’s elbow tendon.

Where should I feel golfer’s elbow pain when making a fist?

You may feel pain on the inside of your elbow or along the forearm when you squeeze your hand tightly.

Can gripping make golfer’s elbow worse?

Repeated gripping can keep stressing the affected area and make the pain return during or after activity.

Why does my forearm hurt when I squeeze my hand?

The forearm muscles used for gripping connect near the inner elbow and can hurt when they are strained with golfer’s elbow.

Should I stop making a fist if it hurts?

Avoid movements that clearly increase your pain and allow the area time to recover rather than repeatedly testing it.

Safety Notes

This article provides general educational information about the topic described above.

Persistent, severe, or worsening symptoms should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare professional.