The medical term for golfer’s elbow is epicondylitis. It is caused by damage to the tendons and muscles that control your fingers and wrist. Typically, the damage is related to repetitive or excess stress, especially forceful finger and wrist movements. Improper hitting, throwing or lifting, as well as poor conditioning or insufficient warm-up, can also contribute to golfer’s elbow.

Many activities can lead to the condition, including:

• Golf: Swinging or gripping the clubs improperly can take a toll on your tendons and muscles.

• Throwing Sports: Incorrect pitching technique in softball or baseball can be another culprit. Javelin-throwing, archery and football can also cause golfer’s elbow.

• Racket Sports: Your elbow can get hurt from playing with excessive topspin. A racket that’s too heavy or too small can also cause injury.

• Weight Training: If you lift weights with an incorrect technique, like curling your wrists while doing a biceps exercise, it can overload the elbow tendons and muscles.

• Other Activities: Anything that causes repeated bending and straightening of your elbow can lead to golfer’s elbow. This includes things like raking, painting, using a computer, chopping wood, hammering, and assembly-line work. However, the activity would have to be done for more than an hour every day, for many days, to cause a problem.