Tennis Elbow & Golfer’s Elbow: Best Home Care Tips + Topical Relief
If your elbow aches after tennis, golf, pickleball, lifting, yard work, repetitive computer use, or any activity that makes you grip and twist over and over, targeted topical relief can make a real difference in how comfortable the area feels while you recover.
Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow are both repetitive-use tendon problems. They occur in different places, but they share the same frustrating pattern: soreness, tenderness, stiffness, and pain with gripping or lifting.
That is exactly why we created CoolRelief+ Muscle & Joint Therapy Gel with a concentrated blend of 10% menthol, 5% camphor, wintergreen, and peppermint. These are not filler ingredients. They are classic topical comfort ingredients with real research behind them, and they work especially well when you want fast, localized relief without taking an oral product.
Looking for Targeted Topical Relief?
Our CoolRelief+ Muscle & Joint Gel combines 10% menthol and 5% camphor with wintergreen in a fast-absorbing topical gel designed for sore, overworked muscles and achy joints. It is an easy add-on to the rest, stretching and activity-modification strategies discussed below.
Table of Contents
- What Is Tennis Elbow?
- What Is Golfer’s Elbow?
- Why Topical Relief Makes Sense for Elbow Pain
- Menthol: Fast Cooling Relief
- Wintergreen: Methyl Salicylate for Targeted Comfort
- Camphor: Warming, Stimulating Support
- Peppermint: Cooling Botanical Support
- What the Research Shows
- Best Home Care for Tennis Elbow & Golfer’s Elbow
- Why We Recommend CoolRelief+
- Frequently Asked Questions
Quick Takeaways
- Tennis elbow affects the outer elbow, while golfer’s elbow affects the inner elbow.
- Both are commonly triggered by repetitive gripping, twisting, lifting, sports, work, or hobbies.
- Menthol and methyl salicylate have human clinical research supporting topical pain relief.
- A randomized placebo-controlled study of 208 adults found a menthol + methyl salicylate topical produced about 40% greater pain relief than placebo for mild to moderate muscle strain.
- A randomized trial testing menthol topical analgesic on the lateral epicondylar tendon, the area involved in tennis elbow, found reduced pain sensitivity after application.
- CoolRelief+ combines menthol, camphor, wintergreen, and peppermint in one fast-absorbing gel, making it especially useful for localized elbow, forearm, muscle, and joint discomfort.
What Is Tennis Elbow?
Tennis elbow, also called lateral epicondylitis, causes pain and tenderness on the outside of the elbow. It develops when the forearm muscles and tendons are repeatedly overloaded, especially during gripping and wrist extension.
Despite the name, you do not need to play tennis to get it. It is common with:
- Tennis, pickleball, racquet sports, and weight training
- Painting, carpentry, plumbing, gardening, and tool use
- Repeated lifting or gripping
- Computer or mouse use when combined with poor ergonomics
The soreness often becomes most noticeable when you grip a cup, shake hands, carry a bag, turn a doorknob, or lift something with your palm facing down.
What Is Golfer’s Elbow?
Golfer’s elbow, or medial epicondylitis, affects the inside of the elbow. It is usually related to repeated wrist flexion, gripping, throwing, or rotational movements.
It can show up with golf, baseball, strength training, repetitive job tasks, or any activity that repeatedly loads the inner forearm tendons.
The discomfort can extend from the inner elbow into the forearm and often becomes more noticeable during gripping, lifting, or wrist movement.
Why Topical Relief Makes Sense for Elbow Pain
One of the biggest advantages of a topical gel is simple: you put it exactly where you need it.
Instead of treating your whole body when only one elbow or forearm is bothering you, a topical product lets you massage the active ingredients directly into the sore area.
That makes topical care especially appealing for repetitive-use soreness because you can:
- Apply it directly over the outer or inner elbow
- Massage it into the forearm muscles that are often tight and overworked
- Use it before or after activity as part of your recovery routine
- Reapply as directed when soreness returns
CoolRelief+ was formulated specifically for this kind of targeted use. It absorbs quickly, does not leave a greasy film, and combines four proven topical comfort ingredients in one formula.
Menthol: Fast Cooling Relief
Menthol is one of the best-known topical ingredients for sore muscles and joints because you can feel it working almost immediately.
Menthol activates cold-sensitive TRPM8 receptors in the skin, creating a cooling sensation that changes the way discomfort is perceived. That fresh, cooling response is one reason menthol has been used for generations in muscle rubs, sports gels, and topical pain products.
It is also one of the strongest ingredients in CoolRelief+, at 10% menthol.
A randomized trial evaluating a menthol-based topical analgesic across multiple muscle and tendon sites found an overall 11.6% increase in pain-pressure threshold, which means participants became less sensitive to pressure-related discomfort after application. Importantly for this article, one of the specific locations tested was the lateral epicondylar tendon, the exact tendon region associated with tennis elbow.
View the menthol tendon study on PubMed.
Wintergreen: Methyl Salicylate for Targeted Comfort
Wintergreen essential oil is naturally rich in methyl salicylate, one of the most widely recognized ingredients in topical muscle and joint products.
Methyl salicylate creates a warming counterirritant effect that helps redirect sensory attention away from soreness and stiffness. It pairs particularly well with menthol because the combination provides both cooling and warming sensory stimulation.
That pairing has real clinical support. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter study involving 208 adults with mild to moderate muscle strain, a topical patch containing menthol and methyl salicylate produced significantly greater pain relief than placebo. The researchers reported approximately 40% greater pain relief with the active treatment.
View the randomized clinical study on PubMed.
That is one reason wintergreen has earned such a long-standing place in topical muscle formulas, and why we intentionally included it in CoolRelief+.
Camphor: Warming, Stimulating Support
Camphor brings another layer of sensory relief. It interacts with temperature-sensitive receptors in the skin and creates a distinctive warming and cooling response that helps distract from localized soreness.
CoolRelief+ contains 5% camphor, giving the formula a stronger multi-sensory effect than a simple peppermint or menthol gel alone.
Research on camphor-containing topical products continues to support its usefulness in musculoskeletal pain formulas. A 2024 clinical study compared a topical product containing camphor, methyl salicylate, eucalyptus, rosemary, and other botanical oils against topical diclofenac in adults with localized musculoskeletal pain, reflecting the growing interest in plant-based and counterirritant combinations for targeted relief.
View the camphor-containing topical study on PubMed.
Peppermint: Cooling Botanical Support
Peppermint essential oil naturally contains menthol and other aromatic compounds that give it its fresh, invigorating character.
In CoolRelief+, peppermint complements the concentrated menthol and camphor with a botanical cooling component that makes the gel feel especially refreshing when rubbed into a tired forearm, elbow, shoulder, back, knee, or other overworked area.
Peppermint also has research supporting topical analgesic and anesthetic effects in different settings. We use it because it makes sense both functionally and sensorially. It is not there simply for fragrance.
What the Research Shows About Topical Menthol & Methyl Salicylate
The strongest evidence for the ingredient combination in CoolRelief+ comes from human topical studies.
- 208-person randomized, double-blind study: Menthol + methyl salicylate produced significantly greater pain relief than placebo for mild to moderate muscle strain, with about 40% greater relief reported in the primary analysis.
- Menthol tendon study: A menthol topical increased pain-pressure threshold and reduced pain sensitivity, including over the lateral epicondylar tendon associated with tennis elbow.
- Menthol vs. ice study: In delayed-onset muscle soreness, topical menthol reduced perceived discomfort more than ice and allowed greater force production during testing.
- Modern topical pain reviews: Menthol and camphor remain important topical analgesic ingredients because they act directly at the site of application and alter sensory pain signaling.
That is exactly why a formula combining menthol, camphor, wintergreen, and peppermint makes so much sense for an overworked elbow. You are combining several complementary sensory mechanisms in one targeted gel instead of relying on one ingredient alone.
Best Home Care for Tennis Elbow & Golfer’s Elbow
Topical relief works best when you also stop repeatedly aggravating the same tissue. You do not have to do nothing, but you do need to give the area a chance to calm down.
1. Reduce the movement that is triggering it
If gripping, lifting, swinging, or twisting repeatedly causes the pain to spike, temporarily cut back. Continuing to hammer the same irritated tendon every day usually prolongs the problem.
2. Use CoolRelief+ directly on the sore area
Massage a small amount into the outer or inner elbow and the surrounding forearm muscles as directed on the product label. The massage itself can also help loosen tight forearm muscles while the menthol, camphor, wintergreen, and peppermint provide targeted sensory relief.
3. Stretch the forearm gently
Gentle wrist-flexor and wrist-extensor stretches can help reduce tension through the forearm. Do not force a stretch that sharply increases pain.
4. Rebuild strength gradually
Once the area is less irritated, slow strengthening exercises for the wrist and forearm can help build tolerance and reduce the chance of the problem returning.
5. Fix the movement pattern
Technique matters. Racquet grip size, golf swing mechanics, workstation setup, tool grip, and lifting form can all repeatedly load the same tendon.
Why CoolRelief+ Is a Great Fit for Tennis Elbow & Golfer’s Elbow
We formulated CoolRelief+ Muscle & Joint Therapy Gel around ingredients that have been used successfully in topical muscle and joint products for generations, then combined them in one concentrated, fast-absorbing formula.
Shop CoolRelief+ Muscle & Joint Therapy Gel
- 10% Menthol: Delivers a strong, immediate cooling sensation and helps reduce pain sensitivity.
- 5% Camphor: Adds stimulating warming and cooling sensory support.
- Wintergreen: Naturally rich in methyl salicylate, a classic topical comfort ingredient with human clinical research behind menthol + methyl salicylate combinations.
- Peppermint: Enhances the fresh, cooling botanical feel.
- Aloe vera: Helps give the gel a soothing, skin-friendly base.
- Sunflower oil + vitamin E: Help condition the skin so repeated topical use does not feel drying.
✓ Concentrated menthol + camphor formula
✓ Wintergreen and peppermint botanical support
✓ Fast-absorbing gel
✓ No greasy residue
✓ Easy to massage directly into elbows, forearms, shoulders, knees, back, and other overworked areas
✓ Plant-forward formula from Natural Escapes Body
For sore, overworked elbows, this is exactly the kind of targeted product we want within reach. You can apply it where the discomfort is, feel the cooling and warming response quickly, and use it as part of a practical recovery routine without turning every episode of everyday soreness into an oral-medication decision.
Natural Escapes CoolRelief+ Muscle & Joint Gel
Topical Support for Sore, Overworked Areas
Best for: targeted use on muscles and joints after exercise, repetitive activity or a demanding day.
- 10% menthol
- 5% camphor
- Wintergreen essential oil
- Aloe and sunflower oil
- Fast-absorbing gel format
Use it as part of a complete self-care routine alongside appropriate rest, gradual return to activity and the movement strategies described in this guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Menthol is one of the most useful topical ingredients for this type of localized soreness because it creates a strong cooling sensory response and has human research showing reduced pain sensitivity. A formula that combines menthol with methyl salicylate, camphor, and peppermint provides a broader topical experience than menthol alone.
Research supports menthol-based topical analgesics for reducing pain sensitivity. One randomized study specifically tested a menthol topical over the lateral epicondylar tendon, the region involved in tennis elbow, and found an overall increase in pain-pressure threshold after application.
Wintergreen is naturally rich in methyl salicylate. Menthol and methyl salicylate provide complementary cooling and warming sensory effects, and the combination has been tested in human clinical research. In one 208-person randomized placebo-controlled study, the active topical provided significantly greater pain relief than placebo for muscle strain.
Yes. Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow often involve tight or overworked forearm muscles as well as tenderness near the elbow. Applying the gel to the surrounding sore forearm area as directed can make the whole region feel more comfortable.
Both can be useful. One study of delayed-onset muscle soreness found that topical menthol reduced perceived discomfort more than ice. Many people prefer a menthol gel because it is easy to apply directly to the area and does not require holding an ice pack in place.
Reduce the repetitive activity that keeps aggravating the area, use gentle forearm stretching, improve technique or ergonomics, and rebuild forearm strength gradually as the area becomes more comfortable.
Tennis elbow affects the outer side of the elbow, while golfer's elbow affects the inner side. Both are overuse tendon problems that can develop from repetitive gripping, lifting, sports, work or other repeated arm movements.
Mild cases can begin improving within weeks, but tendon irritation often takes longer to fully settle, especially if the repetitive trigger continues. Consistent rest from aggravating activity, gradual strengthening and appropriate symptom relief usually matter more than trying to rush the process.
Get medical care if pain follows a major injury, you cannot use the arm normally, there is marked swelling or weakness, numbness is present, or symptoms keep worsening or fail to improve with reasonable home care.
Research & References
- Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of topical methyl salicylate + menthol in muscle strain
- Randomized trial of menthol topical analgesic on muscle and tendon pain-pressure threshold
- Comparison of topical menthol versus ice for delayed-onset muscle soreness
- Clinical study of a camphor and methyl salicylate botanical topical for musculoskeletal pain
- 2026 review of topical pain management including menthol and camphor
About the Author
Melissa is the founder and formulator behind Natural Escapes Body. She has been handcrafting natural and plant-forward skincare and personal-care products since 1997. Her formulation approach combines practical product experience with research-supported ingredients selected for how they perform in the finished formula.
1 comment
Where can I get- “peppermint, rosemary and eucalyptus foot and Massage cream/lotion. I had a small bottle but now I am out- it helped with my arthritis! Thanks