Introduction
Have you ever experienced throbbing pain on the inside of your elbow when performing repetitive gripping motions in golf or daily life? This is golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylitis). It’s a condition where inflammation develops due to overuse of the inner arm muscles, and is especially common among workers in professions requiring frequent wrist flexion and athletes.
In traditional Chinese medicine, this pain is viewed as an imbalance in meridians and poor circulation of qi and blood. Stimulating specific acupoints around the elbow helps promote local blood circulation, release muscle tension, and ease inflammatory responses. In this article, I’ll introduce in detail the 5 most effective acupoints for relieving golfer’s elbow and self-massage techniques.
5 Acupoints Explained
1. Quchi (Curved Pond) — LI11
Location: At the outer end of the elbow crease when the elbow is bent at 90 degrees.
Massage technique: Press slowly with your thumb, maintaining pressure for 3-5 seconds at a pressure level that produces a slight ache, then release. Repeat this sequence.
Benefits: An important acupoint on the Large Intestine meridian that relieves arm muscle fatigue and reduces heat sensations. This is the acupoint that most directly alleviates the inflammation of golfer’s elbow.
2. Shousanli (Arm Three Miles) — LI10
Location: About 3 cun (approximately 9cm) below the elbow crease in the direction of the wrist, near the outer bone of the forearm when the elbow is extended.
Massage technique: Press with your thumb for 3 seconds at a time and release. Repeat this 10-15 times. The technique is effective when a warm sensation spreads.
Benefits: Releases forearm muscle stiffness and improves blood circulation. Promotes recovery from muscle fatigue caused by prolonged gripping motions.
3. Waiguan (Outer Gate) — TE5
Location: On the back of the forearm, approximately 2 cun (about 6cm) above the wrist crease in the direction of the elbow, in the hollow space between the two bones.
Massage technique: Pinch and rub the area with your thumb and index finger from front and back for 2-3 minutes. The warmth should spread to your fingertips.
Benefits: Opens the flow of qi and blood in the Triple Burner meridian, reducing forearm swelling and calming nerve pain. Improves wrist instability caused by golfer’s elbow.
4. Zhongzhu (Middle Islet) — TE3
Location: On the back of the hand, between the fourth and fifth metacarpal bones, approximately 1 cun (about 3cm) toward the wrist from the ends of the finger bones.
Massage technique: Press deeply with your thumb for about 5 seconds, then slowly release the pressure. Repeat 10-15 times.
Benefits: A distal acupoint on the Triple Burner meridian that promotes the flow of qi and blood throughout the entire arm. Simultaneously improves finger numbness and arm heaviness.
5. Hegu (Union Valley) — LI4
Location: On the back of the hand between the thumb and index finger, slightly toward the wrist from where the finger bones meet.
Massage technique: Press slowly with the opposite hand’s thumb, adjusting the pressure until you feel a slight aching sensation. Maintain for 3-5 seconds, then release. Repeat 10-20 times.
Benefits: The most excellent acupoint for pain relief throughout the body. Quickly calms elbow pain and releases muscle tension caused by stress.
5-Minute Self-Massage Routine
Recommended timing: After waking in the morning or in the evening after work, twice daily
- Quchi (LI11) — 1 minute: 10 repetitions of slow thumb pressure
- Shousanli (LI10) — 1 minute: 10-15 thumb presses until warmth spreads
- Waiguan (TE5) — 1 minute: Rub from front and back, maintaining warmth sensation
- Zhongzhu (TE3) — 1 minute: Deep pressure 10-15 times, holding for 5 seconds
- Hegu (LI4) — 1 minute: 20 repetitions with adjusted pressure (exclude pregnant women)
Tip: It’s more effective when performed after washing your hands with warm water. Combining with adequate stretching (elbow extension/flexion) after the massage creates a synergistic effect.
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