Inflammation of the forearm is referred to as “tendonitis.” Front-elbow tendonitis is called “tennis elbow.” Tendonitis found in the back of the elbow is commonly termed “golfers elbow.”
Tennis elbow is often caused by a combination of chronic use, exhaustion and irritation in the muscles and tendons on the back of the arm and outside of the elbow, which lift and extend the wrist and fingers. Tennis elbow is a classic repetitive stress injury (RSI) and is also caused by a high volume of computer usage.
Scalene muscles (or muscles of the neck) can play a role in tennis elbow, as the shoulder and neck muscles tend to be involved while doing activities like typing and racquet sports.
Symptoms of tennis elbow include tenderness in the tissues around and below the bony projection on the side of your elbow. Muscles on the back of the arm might also be tender. Hot, sharp pain at the elbow is a sign of tendon trouble. Dull, aching pain spread across the back of the arm usually signifies muscle issues.
In the case of golfer’s elbow, similar pains and tenderness characteristic of tennis elbow will be present on the inside, rather than the outside of the elbow.