Symptoms include pain and tenderness, primarily at the point where the tendons of your forearm muscles attach to the bony prominences on the outside or inside of your elbow, for tennis and golfer’s elbow, respectively. The pain can also radiate into the upper and lower arm and into the wrist.
What Causes Elbow Pain?
Elbow pain is caused by a number of different factors, such as:
- Arthritis
- Overuse and repetitive use
- Injuries such as falls
- Underlying medical conditions, such as fibromyalgia
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
Elbow Pain: Symptoms
Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) and golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylitis) occur when the tendons responsible for wrist extension and wrist flexion are overloaded. Symptoms include pain and tenderness, primarily at the point where the tendons of your forearm muscles attach to the bony prominences on the outside or inside of your elbow, for tennis and golfer’s elbow, respectively. The pain can also radiate into the upper and lower arm and into the wrist. Pain and tenderness may be accompanied by swelling of the painful area, and a noticeable weakness when performing activities that require a lifting or gripping action. Tennis and golfer’s elbow may cause the most pain when you lift an object, make a fist, raise your hand, or straighten your wrist, though symptoms can vary depending on the severity and specificity of the injury.
Causes Of The Symptoms:
Who Experiences These Symptoms & How Does It Impact Their Lives?
Tennis and golfer’s elbow are overuse and repetitive strain injuries, caused by repeated contractions of your forearm muscles. Repetitive motions can put too much stress on the tendons of your forearm, eventually causing microscopic tears in the tissue. As the names suggest, these injuries can be brought on by playing golf or racquet sports—particularly if played with poor technique—however, most cases of elbow pain are caused by activities or occupations that require repetitive, one-sided arm/wrist movements or gripping actions, such as typing, painting, knitting, gardening, weightlifting, etc. Left untreated tennis and golfer’s elbow can become debilitating injuries that can limit opportunities for physical activity and independence.
Effective NW Calgary Elbow Pain Treatment Options
Golfer's elbow is a painful syndrome that is due to inflammation of the tendons at the elbow. This inflammation is the result of overuse of the forearm muscles, in addition to restrictions in the neck and shoulder area. Don’t let the name fool you — only 5 percent of people who suffer from golfer's elbow do so because of a sport. In fact, most cases of golfer's elbow is caused by repetitive, one-sided movements when working in a job, such as a carpenter or a painter, or during leisure activity such as gardening.
Effective Treatment for Elbow Pain
At Shephard Health, we use:
- Active Release Technique
- Shockwave Therapy
- Cold Laser Therapy
- Electro-Acuscope/Myopulse
- Graston Technique
- Physical Rehabilitation
- Kinesio Taping
- Biomechanical Analysis