If you’ve been cranking out lots of bicep curls or similar movements with increasingly heavy weights (and not enough rest), and then suddenly notice tenderness around your elbow, you might be dealing with an annoying condition called lifter’s elbow. 

“Over the years I have experienced and seen clients with lifter’s elbow,” says Peloton instructor Andy Speer. Also known as medial epicondylitis, lifter’s elbow is an overuse injury, and while it can have a number of causes, frequently lifting weights without proper rest and using improper form at the gym are possible culprits.

Luckily, this condition is often mild, and there are steps you can take to ease your achy elbow at home. Here’s what to do if you think you may have lifter’s elbow, including whether or not you need to pause your strength workouts while you recover.

What Is Lifter’s Elbow?

Lifter’s elbow (aka golfer’s elbow, baseball elbow, or the clinical term, medial epicondylitis) is an overuse injury involving pain in the tendons that connect your elbow and forearm. “Pain usually starts in the connective tissue attached to the bony protuberance at your elbow, the epicondyle,” Andy says.  

Specifically, medial epicondylitis refers to elbow pain on the inside of the arm, or the area near your elbow that’s closest to your body when your hands are by your side and the inner crease of your elbow is facing forward. This is a little different from lateral epicondylitis (aka tennis elbow), “which is pain on the outside of the elbow, a similar common issue in the lifting world,” explains Lindsy Jackson, a physical therapist specializing in movement and injury prevention.

Lifter’s elbow is caused by repeatedly using your arm and wrist to bend and grasp something, which is why golfers, baseball players, and people who lift heavy weights are particularly susceptible to developing this condition. This overuse causes small microtears and swelling inside the tendons, which then lead to pain when you grip or pick up a pair of weights. (More on that in just a minute.)

Lifter’s Elbow Symptoms

It can be difficult to figure out exactly what’s going on when you have lifter’s elbow, especially since the pain can radiate to different parts of the arm. If you’re experiencing medial epicondylitis, you might notice the following:

Your doctor can perform a physical exam or conduct certain tests (such as an MRI or an X-ray) to determine if you’re dealing with lifter’s elbow.

What Causes Elbow Pain from Lifting?

Medial epicondylitis is an overuse injury, meaning it’s caused by lots of repetitive movements over time. “[It] usually comes from repetitive loading of the forearm muscles without enough recovery time,” Jackson says. Over time, this can cause tiny microtears and swelling in the tendons to develop, leading to lifter’s elbow pain, Dr. Johnston says.

People who frequently lift heavy weights without adequate rest may develop lifter’s elbow. But excessive use of this joint from other activities can also cause medial epicondylitis, such as swinging a golf club or tennis racket, throwing a baseball, chopping wood, or even carrying heavy suitcases. “Poor technique, like over-flexing the wrist or gripping too tightly, can worsen the symptoms,” Dr. Johnston adds.

If you’ve developed lifter's elbow at the gym, it may be because you’ve been lifting a little too often, or perhaps you suddenly increased your training volume or weight, Jackson says. Other possibilities include poor lifting mechanics, muscle imbalances between the wrist flexors and extensors, or limited mobility in the shoulders, wrists, or thoracic spine that shifts stress to the elbow, she adds.

How Long Does Lifter’s Elbow Last?

Here’s the good news: Lifter’s elbow is very often a mild, short-lived condition. Sometimes more stubborn tendon issues can last a few months, Jackson says, but rest and technique modification can result in relatively quick improvements. “If you catch it early and treat the inflammation or correct your technique, it may only last a few days,” Dr. Johnston says.

Just be sure to allow yourself to rest in the meantime: If you continue to aggravate your lifter’s elbow by skipping rest days, it can become a longer-lasting problem. “Tendons have a slower healing rate than muscle, so consistency and patience are key,” Jackson says.

How to Manage Elbow Pain from Lifting

It may not be what you want to hear when you’re trying to build strength, but if you do have lifter’s elbow, “the most important treatment is rest,” Dr. Johnston says. Here are a few general tips for relieving elbow pain from lifting:

While many of these strategies can be done at home, check in with your doctor or physical therapist to see what treatments they recommend for you—particularly if you’re noticing very sharp pain that doesn’t improve.

Should You Keep Lifting Weights with Elbow Pain?

Experts agree that if you’re feeling pain, especially sharp pain, you should take a break from any movements that aggravate your symptoms. If you resume the same exercises and notice immediate pain, Dr. Johnston recommends stopping and resting for a week, icing the area, stretching, and (so long as your doctor says it’s OK for you) consider taking NSAIDs such as ibuprofen or naproxen. “Don’t risk making it worse,” he says.

As for more mild soreness? You may be able to continue lifting weights as long as it’s not worsening your symptoms, Jackson says. “Swap or modify your movements to reduce strain on the elbow,” she recommends, such as by using neutral-grip dumbbells or resistance bands. “If you recently increased the weight, decrease to a more manageable weight.”

Small levels of discomfort can be managed, Andy notes, but don’t push through pain, as this can prolong the injury. If your pain persists even after appropriate rest, consult your doctor or a licensed physical therapist for a tailored plan.

How to Prevent Lifter’s Elbow

One of the first things to do if you think you’ve developed lifter’s elbow is work with a physical therapist or healthcare provider to figure out the root cause. “It can be [from] overuse, but that’s a catchall term,” Andy says. “There is usually a deep cause, such as mobility deficits in the forearm and wrist.”

Once you have a better sense of why, exactly, you’re experiencing lifter’s elbow, prevent it from happening in the future with these strategies: 

The Takeaway

Lifter’s elbow (also called golfer’s elbow, baseball elbow, or medial epicondylitis) is an overuse injury typically caused by repeated stress and loading to your muscles, such as by lifting heavy weights without enough rest. If you notice pain on the inside of your elbow that possibly radiates down the forearm, a weak grip, and stiffness, you might be experiencing lifter’s elbow.

The good news is that lifter’s elbow is often short-lived and mild. Resting this joint and focusing on other muscle groups, using ice and compression to minimize inflammation, and modifying your technique can often resolve elbow pain from lifting, but speak to your healthcare provider for unique treatment and prevention recommendations.