07/22/2026
Lateral epicondylitis is a common injury that we see in climbers and is high up on the list of possible causes of lateral elbow pain.
Your forearm extensor muscles, located on the back of your forearm (opposite your palm), play a critical role every time you grip, crimp, or grab a hold.
These muscles contract to stabilize your wrist and fingers, allowing your finger flexors to produce more force. As climbers, we rely on these muscles with nearly every move.
These extensor muscles attach to the outside (lateral) portion of your elbow through a tendon. In lateral epicondylitis (commonly called “tennis elbow” as it can be common in tennis players…but can happen in any population), this tendon becomes irritated.
When a tendon doesn’t fully recover or rebuild its tolerance to load, it can become irritable with climbing or daily gripping tasks.
Stay tuned for Part 2, where I’ll walk you through simple self-assessment techniques to help determine whether your symptoms are consistent with lateral epicondylitis.
