Pain in the elbow

Elbow pain can often be linked to a long overload, or trauma. Pain in the elbow is a nuisance that mainly affects those in sports and those with repetitive labor movements in the working world.

Some of the most common causes of elbow pain are medial epicondylitis (golf elbow), lateral epicondylitis (also known as mouse arm or tennis elbow) or sports injuries, but it may also be due to radiating pain from the neck, shoulder or wrist.

Scroll below for to watch two great training videos which can help you with pain in the elbow.

VIDEO: 5 Strength Exercises Against Tendonitis in the Shoulder

We mentioned earlier that both the neck and the shoulders can cause indirect pain in the elbow. This may include tendon inflammation of the shoulder causing referred pain down the arms and towards the elbows. Click below to see the exercises.

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VIDEO: Four Exercises against Nerve Clamping in the Wrist and Elbow

Did you know that the majority of the wrist muscles and tendons attach to the elbow? These can cause you pain in your forearm, wrist and further up the elbow. Here are four good exercises that can help you loosen up muscle tension and reduce nerve irritation. The program can be run daily. Press below.

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Also read: - 8 tips for faster treatment of tendon injuries

According to the NHI, there is probably a lot of darkness within this type of ailments, but they estimate that the condition occurs in up to 3/100 (3%) in the Norwegian population every year.

Some of the most common workplaces where such overload damage is seen are assembly work, construction and civil engineering, assembly line jobs and professions that involve prolonged and intensive use of a PC.

Self-help: What can I do even for elbow pain?

1. General exercise, specific exercise, stretching and activity are recommended, but stay within the pain limit. Two walks a day of 20-40 minutes make good for the body and aching muscles.

2. Trigger point / massage balls we strongly recommend - they come in different sizes so you can hit well even on all parts of the body. There is no better self help than this! We recommend the following (click the image below) - which is a complete set of 5 trigger point / massage balls in different sizes:

3. Training: Specific training with training tricks of various opponents (such as this complete set of 6 knits of different resistance) can help you train strength and function. Knit training often involves more specific training, which in turn can lead to more effective injury prevention and pain reduction.

4. Pain Relief - Cooling: Biofreeze is a natural product that can relieve pain by cooling the area gently. Cooling is especially recommended when the pain is very severe. When they have calmed down then heat treatment is recommended - it is therefore advisable to have both cooling and heating available.

5. Pain Relief - Heating: Warming up tight muscles can increase blood circulation and reduce pain. We recommend the following reusable hot / cold gasket (click here to read more about it) - which can be used both for cooling (can be frozen) and for heating (can be heated in the microwave).

Recommended products for pain relief for elbow pain

Biofreeze (Cold / cryotherapy)

Also read: Pressure Wave Therapy - Something for Your Sore Elbow?

Medical Definitions

Lateral epicondylitis: An extraarticular congestion state located at the origin of the wrist's stretching muscles or tendons on the outside of the elbow. Repeated full extension (backward bending) of the wrist during the workday is the most common cause.

Medial epicondylitis: An extra-articular overload condition located at the origin of the wrist flexor or tendons on the inside of the elbow. Repeated full flexion (forward bending) of the wrist during the workday is the most common cause.

One of the most important things about congestion injuries is that you simply and easily cut down on the activity that has irritated the muscle and tendon attachment, this can be done by making ergonomic changes in the workplace or taking a break from the painful movements.

However, it is important not to stop completely, as this hurts more than good in the long run.

X-ray of the elbow

X-ray of the elbow - Photo Wikimedia

Here you see an X-ray of an elbow, seen from the side (lateral angle). In the picture we see the anatomical landmarks trochlea, coronoid process, radial head, capitellum and olecranon process.

MR image of elbow

Here you see an MRI image of an elbow. Read more about MRI examinations in our imaging diagnostics department.

CT image of elbow

Here you see a section from a CT scan on the elbow.

Diagnostic ultrasound examination of the elbow

Here you see a diagnostic ultrasound image of the elbow. This can be very useful, among other things in diagnosing sports injuries or as in this picture; tennis elbow.

Treatment for Pain in the Elbow

Here you will see various treatment techniques and forms of treatment used for elbow pain.

• Physiotherapy

• sports Massage

• Intramuscular Acupuncture

• Laser Therapy

• Modern Chiropractic

• Shockwave Therapy

Clinically proven effect on elbow pain relief for myofascial causes

A larger RCT (Bisset 2006) - also known as a randomized controlled trial - published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), showed that physical treatment of lateral epicondylitis consisting of elbow joint manipulation and specific exercise had a significantly greater effect in terms of pain relief and functional improvement compared to waiting and looking in the short term, and also in the long term compared to cortisone injections.

The same study also showed that cortisone has a short-term effect, but that, paradoxically, in the long term it increases the chance of relapse and leads to slower healing of the injury. Another study (Smidt 2002) also supports these findings.

Pressure wave therapy, performed by a publicly licensed clinician (physiotherapist or chiropractor), also has extremely good clinical evidence.

What does a chiropractor do?

Muscle, joint and nerve pain: These are things that a chiropractor can help prevent and treat. Chiropractic treatment is mainly about restoring movement and joint function that can be impaired by mechanical pain.

This is done by so-called joint correction or manipulation techniques, as well as joint mobilization, stretching techniques, and muscular work (such as trigger point therapy and deep soft tissue work) on the involved muscles.

With increased function and less pain, it may be easier for individuals to engage in physical activity, which in turn will have a positive effect on both energy and health.

Exercises, Exercise and Ergonomic Considerations for Elbow Pain

An expert in musculoskeletal disorders can, based on your diagnosis, inform you about the ergonomic considerations you must take to prevent further damage - and thus ensure the fastest possible healing time.

After the acute part of the pain is over, in most cases you will also be assigned home exercises that also help reduce the chance of relapse.

In the case of chronic ailments, it is necessary to go through the motor movements you do in everyday life, in order to weed out the cause of your pain occurring time and again.

Here you will find relevant exercises for pain in the elbow:

- Exercises against carpal tunnel syndrome

- Exercises against tennis elbow

References:

1. NHI - Norwegian Health Informatics.
2. NAMF - Norwegian Occupational Medical Association
3. Bisset L, Beller E, Jull G, Brooks P, Darnell R, Vicenzino B. Mobilization with movement and exercise, corticosteroid injection, or wait and see for tennis elbow: randomized trial. BMJ. 2006 Nov 4; 333 (7575): 939. Epub 2006 Sep 29.
4. Smidt N, van der Windt DA, Assendelft WJ, Devillé WL, Korthals-de Bos IB, Bouter LM. Corticosteroid injections, physiotherapy, or a wait-and-see policy for lateral epicondylitis: a randomized controlled trial. Lancet. 2002 Feb 23; 359 (9307): 657-62.
5. Punnett, L. et al. A Conceptual Framework for Integrating Workplace Health Promotion and Occupational Ergonomics Programs. Public Health Rep. , 2009; 124 (Suppl 1): 16–25.

Frequently Asked Questions About Elbow Pain

Do I have tendons in the elbow?

Yes, as well as in the knee and other structures that need support you have tendons and ligaments in the elbow. These are there to give you increased support around the elbow joint when needed. To name some of the ligaments / tendons in the elbow, you have the triceps brachii tendon attachment, the radial collateral ligament, the ulnar collateral ligament, the annular ligament, and the brachial muscle muscle.

Has hurt in the elbow after bench press. What is the reason for that?

Bench press is an exercise that places high demands on support muscles in both the upper arm, elbow and forearm.

An underlying overload due to repetitive loads in front of data or at work can form the basis for the elbow to hurt after bench press, as it simply becomes the famous'the drop in the cup'which causes the fibers to emit pain signals. We recommend that you try said exercises for 2-3 weeks before trying on bench press again.

Wondering a bit about movement in the elbow joint. What movements can the elbow joint actually move in?

The elbow can be bent (flexion), stretched (extension), twisted inward (supination) and twisted outward (supination) - it can also enter the ulnar and radial deviation.

Can you have muscle pain in the elbow?

Yes, and you can read more about it here .

Pain in the elbow by touch? Why is it so bad?

If you hurt the elbow by touch then this indicates dysfunctionand Pain is the body's way of telling you this. Feel free to note if you have swelling in the area, blood tests (bruises) and the like. Use the icing protocol (RICE) if there is a fall or trauma.

If the pain persists, we recommend that you consult a clinic for examination.

Pain in the elbow after fall? Why?

If you have an elbow injury after falling, this may be due to soft tissue injury, forearm or forearm fracture, tendon injury or mucus irritation (so-called olecranon bursitis).

Feel free to note if you have swelling in the area, blood test (bruising) and the like. Use icing protocol (RICE) as soon as possible after the fall itself. If the pain persists, we recommend that you consult a clinic for examination.

Pain in the elbow after hand fall?

Pain in the elbow after hand fall is due overload of the muscles and muscles. It can sometimes go beyond tendons and elbow joints as well.

The cause of back pain is often multifactorial and is due to a combination of zero heating, maximum effort and long-term stress. We certainly hope you won the backhand duel, because it probably makes the pain a little easier to swallow.

Pain in the elbow after exercise? Why do I get hurt?

If you have pain in your elbow after exercise, this may be due to overload. Often it is the wrist flexors (wrist flexors) or wrist extensors (wrist stretchers) that have become overloaded. Other muscles that may be affected are the pronator teres, triceps or supinatorus.

Rest from causative exercise and eventual icing may be appropriate measures. Eccentric exercise to increase muscle capacity is also recommended.

- Related questions with the same answer: Pain in the elbow after cycling? Pain in the elbow after golf? Pain in the elbow after strength training? Sore in the elbow after cross country skiing? Pain in the elbow when exercising triceps?

Sore elbow pain. Why do I get pain when I do that exercise?

If you have pain in the elbow during arm bends may be due to overload of the wrist extensors (wrist stretchers). The hand is held in a backward bent position when performing arm bends / push-ups and this puts pressure on the extensor carpi ulnaris, brachioradialis and extensor radialis.

Try to avoid too much strain on the wrist detectors for a two week time and focus on eccentric training of the wrist pullers (see video here ). Eccentric exercise will Increase your load capacity during training and bends (push-ups).

- Related questions with the same answer: Pain in the elbow after bench press?

Pain in the elbow when lifting? Cause?

When lifting, it is virtually impossible not to use the wrist flexors (wrist flexors) or wrist extensors (wrist stretchers).

If the pain is located to the inside of the elbow, then there is a chance that you have a strain injury, such as medial epicondylitis (golf elbow). If the pain is located to the outside of the elbow then the chances are that you have contracted a tennis elbow, also known as lateral epicondylitis.

Which is also an overload injury. Shockwave Therapy og eccentric exercise are good evidence-based treatment methods for such problems.

- Related questions with the same answer: Pain in the elbow by strain? Pain in the elbow at load?.

What does elbow extension mean?

Extension of the elbow joint is when you extend your arm, in the triceps movement. The opposite is called flexion, and is induced by the biceps muscle.

Pain on the inside of the elbow. What could this be due to?

On the inside of the elbow we find the attachments to the wrist flexors (those that bend the wrist inwards). Pain on the inside of the elbow can be caused by an incorrect load or overload of these - and is then called 'golf elbow'. It is called the golf elbow due to the use of the flap in the wrists of the golf swing.

Pain on the outside of the elbow. Cause?

One possibility is the so-called tennis elbow. On the inside of the elbow we find the attachments to the wrist extensors (those that extend the wrist outwards). Pain on the outside of the elbow can be due to an incorrect load or overload of these - for example due to too many backhand turns in tennis. Hence the name. The cause is usually a repetitive motion that overloads the area.

Sore elbow at night. Cause?

One possibility of pain in the elbow at night is an injury to the muscles, tendons or mucus (read: olecranon bursitis). In the case of night pain, we recommend that you consult a clinician and investigate the cause of your pain.

Don't wait, get in touch with someone as soon as possible, otherwise you could risk deteriorating further.

Sudden pain in the elbow. Why?

The pain is often related to an overload or error load that has been done in the past. Acute pain in the elbow may be due, among other things, to muscular dysfunction, joint problems, tendon problems or nerve irritation. Feel free to ask questions in the comments section below and we will try to respond within 24 hours.

Does the long biceps nerve go from the shoulder to the elbow?

A bit twisted on your question there, but interpret it as wondering which nerve innervates the biceps and attaches to the elbow.

The biceps are innervated by the musculocutanous (musculocutaneous) nerve that originates from the cervical vertebrae C5-C6. This nerve attaches to the brachialis and from there to the elbow joint. Here is an overview image:

Overview of nerves from shoulder, elbow to hand - Photo Wikimedia

Do you have a recommendation for elbow support in the event of a fracture?

Of course, it all depends on the breach. If you are talking about a total fracture or post-plaster phase, then we recommend Shock Doctor's elbow support (the link opens in a new browser window).
Picture of the elbow support:

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