There are many potential causes of elbow pain. Pain may be caused by local structures or be referred from a structure elsewhere in the body. Here are some of the common causes of elbow pain:

Upper arm conditions can cause pain near the elbow

• Bicipital tendinopathy
• Triceps tendinopathy
• Strain of the biceps, brachioradialis or triceps
• Distal humerus fracture

Elbow region conditions causing pain

• Cubital tunnel syndrome
• Arthritis
• Ligament sprain or tear
• Elbow dislocation
• Olecranon bursitis
• Infection

Forearm conditions causing elbow pain

• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Golfer’s or Tennis Elbow
• Proximal ulna or radius fracture
• Referred or neuropathic pain
• Thoracic outlet syndrome
• Cervical radiculopathy
• Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
• Brachial Plexus Injury

Determining the cause of elbow pain is important as it largely dictates your treatment plan. If you schedule a visit with a physical therapist before seeing your doctor, a process called direct access, your physical therapist will use observation, palpation, special tests and other examination elements to localize the cause of your pain. Though not always needed, when indicated, your therapist may refer you to an orthopedic physician to request imaging such as an x-ray, MRI or ultrasound to visualize the structures of the elbow or other areas of the body such as your neck to diagnose the cause of your pain. In other cases, lab work or other tests may be indicated to rule out underlying medical conditions. Physical therapy is an excellent treatment option for elbow pain, however, in some cases, you may need additional medical treatments or surgery to achieve full resolution of symptoms.

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 ELBOW PAIN?

The answer to this question is truly individualized and depends on factors such as the cause of your elbow pain, the severity and chronicity of the symptoms, and other personal factors like your prior activity level and other medical comorbidities. Your physical therapist will design an individualized treatment plan for you, however, these are some of the more common elbow pain treatments offered by physical therapists and which you might experience when working with your PT:

Modalities and manual therapy techniques to reduce pain and inflammation and promote tissue healing

Bracing, taping or splinting to offload painful or injured tissues and support the elbow while healing

Muscle strength, endurance and power training to improve arm muscle performance for return to normal activity once pain symptoms improve

Tissue and joint mobilization, mobility and stretching techniques to restore normal range of motion and flexibility which can be an important aspect of addressing elbow pain

Motor control and coordination training to ensure proper muscle activation around the elbow which is helpful to prevent the recurrence of the painful symptoms

Sport and work-specific training exercises to prepare the elbow to return to your prior activities if the pain has caused you to stop or reduce your activity level

If your elbow pain is referred from another area like the forearm or neck, your PT will create a treatment program to address the primary cause of your pain.

As you can see, physical therapists have many treatments in their toolbox to address your elbow pain. Given the numerous possible causes of elbow pain, working with a PT ensures you are choosing the right treatment plan. 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