Elbow

Elbow Pain

Tennis Elbow

Lateral elbow pain or tennis elbow is the collective name given to inflammation disorders of the lateral epicondyle of the elbow and the tendons that attach there. This condition basically means that the part of the elbow that wrist extensors and finger flexor muscle groups attach onto becomes inflamed due to overuse or injury, resulting in elbow pain.

As with all tendon injuries, it is important to distinguish between the two types of tendinopathy; tendonitis and tendinosis. Tendonitis is the injury and inflammation of a tendon, tendinosis is the softening and weakening of the tendon. This is explained more in the tendons section of our page.

Tennis elbow is a painful and annoying condition that can be caused by a variety of things, most notably racquet sports (surprise?). Typing and using a computer mouse, cycling, or conveyor belt are some other activities that can bring this condition on. When severe tennis elbow can cause pain when lifting something as small as a kettle. You will also feel pain when you stretch the tendon (bending your wrist forward as far as you can).

Depending on the length of time of your injury and the severity, you can expect your tendon injury to take anywhere between 4-6 weeks and 6-8 months to heal. Healing times for tendons can take a long time due to the fact that collagen (the type of fibre that provides strength) can take a long time to be played down by the body.

Tennis elbow treatment will focus around reducing the initial inflammation of the area, rest, massage of the tendon to stimulate healing, stretching and release of the surrounding tissues and static exercises that will stimulate the formation of strong tendon fibres. This is unlike a muscle injury which would require only rest. City Physiotherapy Sport and Injury Clinic treat many cases of tennis elbow and all therapists are confident they can help you through your pain.

If your pain does not respond well to physiotherapy management we are also able to refer you to radiology for an ultrasound and possible X-Ray guided corticosteroid injection which can help to ease inflammation and pain for a period of time during which rehabilitation can be facilitated.

Golfer’s Elbow

Golfers elbow is inflammation of the medial epicondyle and the tendons that attach to it. The elbow pain is very similar to tennis elbow however it occurs on the inside of the elbow, from overuse or injury to the muscles that bend the wrist forward. Common symptoms of this condition include pain on gripping objects or lifting things with palm facing upwards.

Please refer to Tennis Elbow for treatment options

Cubital Tunnel Syndrome

Also known as ulnar nerve entrapment, this condition describes the irritation of the nerve as it passes through a tunnel made up of connective tissue, a muscle which flexes the fingers and bone. The nerve can be irritated by increased pressure in the area, repeated stretching or repeated trauma and will cause pain in the area as well as down the outside of the arm and into the smallest two fingers. As it is a nerve irritation it can also cause pins and needles, numbness or weakness.

The pain and other symptoms will often be caused by pressure to the elbow, bending the elbow forcefully or for a long time or static positions such as sleeping. Treatment for this condition should include finding easing positions, adjusting night time postures to allow for inflammation to be drained and releasing of tight muscles and fascia in the area that may be placing pressure on the nerve.

BACK TO BLOG