Elbow Pain Specialist

What causes elbow pain?

Elbow pain often occurs after an injury that dislocates the joint, breaks a bone, or tears a tendon. Inflammatory joint conditions like bursitis and arthritis are also top culprits.

If you’re an active person, your elbow pain may arise from an overuse injury. Overuse injuries develop when you frequently repeat the same movements. If you don’t occasionally rest, the repetitive stress causes small tears in the muscles, tendons, and ligaments.

The most common overuse injuries include:

• Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)
• Golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylitis)
• Pitcher’s elbow (valgus extension overload)
• Ligament injuries
• Flexor tendonitis
• Stress fractures
• Ulnar nerve entrapment and inflammation

Tennis and golfer’s elbow involve inflamed tendons, while pitcher’s elbow occurs when cartilage in the joint wears down.

What symptoms accompany elbow pain?

The problems responsible for elbow pain often cause other symptoms, such as:

• Swelling
• Bruising
• Joint locking
• Joint stiffness
• Weak grip
• Limited elbow movement
• Loss of arm strength
• Restricted arm and wrist movement

You should schedule an appointment at Pro Sports and Elite Rehab if you have severe pain, swelling, or bruising, can’t move your elbow or arm, or your symptoms don’t improve within a few days.

How is elbow pain diagnosed?

During your exam, your provider evaluates your symptoms, examines your elbow, and puts your arm through specific motions to assess the problem. 

They may also take digital X-rays and an MRI and perform specialized testing to evaluate nerve activity, such as electromyography (EMG) and a nerve conduction velocity (NCV) test.

How is elbow pain treated?

Your elbow pain treatment depends on the underlying cause and the severity of the problem. A complex fracture requires immediate surgical intervention. Otherwise, treatment begins with conservative care. This could include resting your elbow, wearing a brace, and changing your activities to avoid repetitive movement.

In most cases, you will also begin physical therapy early in your treatment. Manual therapy, exercises to rebuild strength, and a plan to prevent overuse help you to rehabilitate and regain the use of your elbow.

At Pro Sports and Elite Rehab, you have access to joint injections containing steroids or platelet-rich plasma (PRP). Steroids do an exceptional job of reducing inflammation, while PRP activates the healing process.

If your elbow pain doesn’t improve after conservative treatment, your provider may recommend arthroscopy. During this minimally invasive procedure, your provider uses a slim scope to examine and repair tissues inside the joint.

If you need expert care for elbow pain, call Pro Sports and Elite Rehab today or book an appointment online.