Understanding Elbow Pain: Symptoms, Prevention, and Effective Treatment Tips

A pain in the…. ELBOW

Elbow pain is one of the most common reasons people come to Living Well Physical Therapy. If it hurts to hold your coffee cup, physical therapy can be very helpful!

Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylalgia) and golfer's elbow (medial epicondylalgia) are common overuse injuries affecting the tendons of the forearm. Despite their names, these conditions can affect anyone, not just athletes, and often result from repetitive motions. Physical therapy plays a vital role in managing and recovering from these conditions, and minimizing flare-ups.

Causes of elbow pain:

These conditions result from repetitive strain or overuse of the forearm muscles and tendons that attach to the elbow. Common causes include:

• Repetitive Motions: Activities like gripping, lifting, or using tools can strain the tendons. The tendons in the fingers and thumb originate at the elbow.

• Poor Technique: Improper form during sports or work tasks can increase stress on the elbow with overhead lifting, or other weight lifting activities. 

• Sudden Increase in Activity: Abruptly increasing the intensity or frequency of activities involving the arm.

• Occupational Risks: Jobs requiring repetitive arm movements, such as typing, painting, or manual labor.

Symptoms of Tennis and Golfer's Elbow

Symptoms typically develop gradually and may include:

• Pain and tenderness around the elbow, either on the outside (tennis elbow) or inside (golfer’s elbow).

• Weakness in the forearm and grip strength.

• Discomfort during activities involving gripping, lifting, or twisting motions.

• Stiffness or reduced range of motion in the elbow and wrist.

• Tennis elbow generally has symptoms toward the thumb side and golfer's elbow is toward the pinky side of the forearm.

Physical Therapy Approaches

The Physical Therapists at Living Well Physical Therapy are skilled in treating overuse injuries like tennis and golfer’s elbow through individualized, evidence-based strategies. Key components of therapy include:

1. Comprehensive Assessment

A thorough evaluation considers the patient’s medical history, activity levels, and specific movements or tasks that exacerbate symptoms.

2. Pain Management Techniques

• Modalities: Ice , heat, or electrical stimulation to reduce inflammation and alleviate pain.

• Manual Therapy: Techniques such as soft tissue mobilization and myofascial release to improve circulation and reduce tension in the affected muscles.

• Dry needling: dry needling can decrease tension in the multiple muscles that attach at the elbow.

• Laser: our Franklin location has a class III laser that can decrease inflammation to tissues that are not responding to initial treatment, or very swollen tissues.

3. Therapeutic Exercise

• Stretching: Gentle stretches to improve flexibility in the forearm muscles, or assessing if the nerves are irritated and can recommend nerve glides or other mobilization techniques.

• Strengthening: Eccentric exercises (slow, controlled lowering movements) to strengthen the tendons and promote healing. This can take 6-12 weeks to see a significant improvement, so patience is key!

• Assessing lifting technique: we can assess form with movement that creates pain and give suggestions so you can stay at the gym or in your classes.

• Assessing underlying factors: tightness or weakness in the mid back, core, or shoulder muscles can refer to or exacerbate pain in the elbow, and we can provide additional strengthening exercises to address any other deficits.

4. Ergonomic and Technique Modifications

• Adjusting workstation ergonomics to reduce strain.

• Coaching on proper form during sports or work tasks.

5. Bracing or Taping

We can make recommendations for forearm straps, wrist braces, or kinesiology tape to offload stress from the tendons during activities depending on the irritability and symptoms presentation.

6. Patient Education

Providing guidance on activity modification, proper warm-up routines, and pacing strategies to prevent recurrence.

Preventing Tennis and Golfer's Elbow

Preventive measures are essential, especially for individuals prone to repetitive strain. Tips include:

• Incorporating regular stretching and strengthening exercises for the forearm.

• Using proper techniques during activities.

• Taking frequent breaks to avoid overuse.

• Gradually increasing strength to allow the body to adapt.

Conclusion

Tennis and golfer’s elbow can significantly impact an individual’s ability to perform daily tasks and enjoy recreational activities. At Living Well Physical Therapy we provide a comprehensive and effective approach to treatment, focusing on pain relief, tendon healing, and long-term prevention strategies. By addressing the root causes and adopting proper techniques, patients can achieve significant recovery and return to their activities with confidence, and hold that cup of coffee without pain!

If you have concerns or questions, your physical therapist at LivingWell Physical therapy is here to help guide you through your recovery