Physical Therapy for Elbow Injury

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Physical Therapy for Elbow Injury

HOW CAN PHYSICAL THERAPY ADDRESS ELBOW INJURIES?

Are you experiencing pain, swelling or stiffness in the elbow? You may be dealing with an elbow injury. Elbow injuries can result from a number of causes and range from minor to severe. Physical therapists are healthcare professionals trained to evaluate and treat musculoskeletal injuries such as those affecting the elbow. Physical therapists address symptoms like pain, inflammation and weakness and help you return to your previous level of function.

WHAT DOES PHYSICAL THERAPY FOR AN ELBOW INJURY LOOK LIKE?

Physical therapy for an elbow injury aims to improve symptoms of pain, instability or stiffness, help restore normal strength and range of motion and facilitate return to full use of the elbow. In cases where a surgery has been performed, physical therapy is also indicated to achieve these same outcomes. My team of therapists and I will start by getting to know your concerns and goals and performing a thorough physical exam to determine what areas we should target with our physical therapy interventions. Your therapist may employ manual therapy interventions to target joint and tissue mobility while also prescribing movements and exercises for strength, motor control and mobility to be performed in the home and the clinic.

HOW LONG WILL I NEED PHYSICAL THERAPY?

The duration of your physical therapy plan of care is based on several factors including the type of injury, the severity of your symptoms, if you are recovering from or planning to undergo surgery, and the activities you aim to resume. Many elbow injuries benefit from 4-8 weeks of rehab. While full resolution of symptoms can take some time, you may begin to see some results right away. You should experience improvements in many symptoms such as pain, stiffness, and inflammation within a couple of weeks but returns in full strength, flexibility and overall mobility may take longer. Achieving long-lasting results may take some time, but dedication to your program will not only help you achieve these results but will help to decrease the likelihood of symptoms recurring in the future.

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ANATOMY OF THE ELBOW?

The elbow joint connects the forearm to the upper arm. The forearm is made up of the radius and ulna bones while the upper arm consists of the humerus. The elbow joint is the articulation between the larger forearm bone, the ulna, and the humerus as well as between the end of the radius and the humerus. These bones form a hinge joint that allows for flexion and extension of the elbow.

The elbow joint is encapsulated by a fibrous joint capsule. Within that joint capsule is the articulation between the ulna and humerus as well as that between the radius and ulna which allows you to turn your palm up and down (supination and pronation). Though they exist within the same joint capsule, most anatomists consider these two separate joints. Various muscles, tendons, nerves and ligaments are also present at the elbow. Any of these structures can be involved in an injury.

WHAT DOES AN INJURY TO THE ELBOW FEEL LIKE?

Signs and symptoms of an elbow injury can develop suddenly in response to an acute trauma or may develop more slowly over time. Wondering if you have an injured elbow? Below are symptoms that may indicate an elbow injury:

Pain around the bones or soft tissue near the elbow
Weakness in the muscles around the elbow or forearm
Difficulty bending or straightening the elbow or rotating the forearm
Pain with movement or at rest
Swelling or redness around the injured area
Feelings of instability in the elbow joint
Signs of bony deformity
Numbness or tingling near the elbow or below it

As you can see, elbow injuries can present in different ways. Identifying the injury is an important step in treating it. Elbow injuries may be diagnosed using several techniques

Hands-on evaluation of bones and soft tissue at the elbow
X-ray
Ultrasound
CT Scan
MRI

COMMON ELBOW INJURIES TREATED BY PHYSICAL THERAPISTS

Physical therapists treat many different injuries affecting the elbow. Below is a list of many of those injuries:

Bicipital tendinopathy
Triceps tendinopathy
Strain of the biceps, brachioradialis or triceps
Forearm muscle strain
Distal humerus fracture
Cubital tunnel syndrome
Arthritis
Ulnar or radial collateral ligament sprain or tear
Elbow dislocation
Olecranon bursitis
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Golfer’s or Tennis Elbow
Proximal ulna or radius fracture

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End Injury Progression

Physical therapy for an elbow injury has proven to prevent injury, slow and even stop pain issues, improve performance, and reverse injury progression in many cases.

**Relieve Pain**
The movements used in this technique can target your entire body helping you to manage discomfort and pain during the course of your physical therapy treatments.

**Improve Range of Motion**
Posture awareness is an important area to focus on due to the fact that certain positions may cause you further discomfort and pain.

Restore Mobility

You can regain mobility and flexibility by taking part in the stretches and exercises as prescribed by your physical therapist.

How Long Will Physical Therapy for Elbow Injury Last?

If you decide to work with a physical therapist to help correct your elbow pain issues, your entire treatment plan could consist of around 8-20+ different physical therapy sessions that will each last 60-90 minutes. Once you complete your customized physical therapy treatment plan, you will be able to continue to do the prescribed stretches and exercises utilized during your PT sessions yet in the comfort of your own home.

WHAT PHYSICAL THERAPY TREATMENTS ARE BEST FOR AN ELBOW INJURY?

The answer to this question is truly individualized and depends on many factors such as the type of injury you have sustained, the severity and chronicity of the injury, and other personal factors like your prior activity level and other medical comorbidities. It also depends on whether or not you’ve undergone surgery as a post-surgical protocol may guide your course of care. Common goals of physical therapy for the elbow include identifying underlying causes or injury, reducing current symptoms and minimizing chances of re-injury.

Your physical therapist will design an individualized treatment plan for you, however, these are some of the more common elbow injury treatments offered by physical therapists of which you might experience when working with your PT:

Modalities and manual therapy techniques to reduce pain and inflammation and promote tissue healing in the earlier stages of healing

Bracing, taping or splinting may be used to protect healing tissues and reduce discomfort in early stages of healing or as you return to activity

Education about your injury, the stages of healing and what you can do to participate in your recovery and prevent future injury

Muscle strength, endurance and power training to improve muscle performance for return to normal activity

Tendon stiffening exercises to address conditions like tennis or golfer’s elbow

Tissue and joint mobilization, mobility and stretching techniques to restore normal range of motion and flexibility

Motor control and coordination training to ensure proper muscle activation around the elbow

Sport and work-specific training exercises to prepare the elbow to return to your prior activities and limit the risk of future injury.

As you can see, physical therapists have a lot of treatments in their toolbox to help you with your elbow injury. If you have an injured elbow or are noticing uncomfortable symptoms in your arm, call us today to learn more about our services and schedule an evaluation