ELBOW PAIN TREATMENT in Mississauga, Etobicoke, Oakville & Burlington

Are you experiencing elbow pain? Does it hurt to lift things or hold the steering wheel? Does it hurt to play golf, tennis or pickleball? How about using a computer mouse or typing on your phone or keyboard? Elbow pain makes itself known in many aspects of daily life. Depending on how severe, it can be felt when lifting heavy objects or when turning a key in a lock.

Elbow pain can be caused by a variety of reasons. It can be caused by a traumatic injury, but is most often caused by repetitive overuse of the muscles surrounding the elbow. Whether it is from lifting at work, playing a sport, or computer work, repetitive strain injuries can happen in all settings.

At PhysioNow, all of our therapists are trained to fully diagnose your elbow pain and determine the cause of your symptoms. The most common conditions of the elbow are:

Common Causes of Elbow Pain

1. Tennis Elbow or Lateral Epicondylalgia: This is an overuse injury to the tendons on the outside of the elbow. It is called tennis elbow because it is an injury that often happens to tennis players. However, you don’t have to be a tennis player to get this type of injury or even any kind of racket sport player. We use all of those same muscles during the day when we grip excessively (even a book for long periods of time), repetitive cutting, chopping, hammering, using a mouse, typing, etc.
2. Golfer’s Elbow or Medial Epicondylitis: Similar to above, this is also typically an overuse injury. The difference is that the injury is to the muscles and tendons on the inside of the elbow. Although it is a common sports injury of golfer’s, others can also develop this painful condition
3. Nerve Compressions: For example, the ulnar nerve on the inside of the elbow can get entrapped and irritated, resulting in elbow pain. This can happen if someone bangs their elbow sharply or rests the elbow in an awkward position that presses on the ulnar nerve (such as on the edge of a car window)
4. Elbow joint fractures: After weeks of being in a cast, the elbow will be very stiff and potentially sore. Physiotherapy should be started as quickly as possible to minimize strength and range of motion loss after a fracture
5. Arthritis of the elbow joint: While rarer than other joints, previous traumatic accidents to the elbow increase the risk of developing arthritis
6. Ligament sprains: Usually a result of a fall or hit, the ligaments around the elbow may be sprained, causing instability and pain
7. Tendinopathies or muscle strains: Many muscles and tendons are around the elbow, including the biceps, triceps, and many smaller forearm muscles

Physiotherapy Treatment for Elbow Pain

Every physiotherapy plan will be tailored to match you and your goals. In other words, whether you want to return to your daily activities, lifting heavy weights, or swing a baseball bat, your treatment will include specific elements to prepare you for that. Your physiotherapy program may include:

1. Manual therapy: Hands-on techniques like joint mobilizations and soft tissue work can help improve blood flow and flexibility and reduce pain. Based on your specific limitations, your physiotherapist will adjust the techniques they use
2. Bracing: Bracing can be used while you are recovering to help take some stress off the affected tissues and protect them while it heals. Some people will wear braces like the tennis strap as a preventative measure
3. Strengthening program: After an injury, the muscles lose strength. It is important to restore them to their normal capacity and address any imbalances
4. Mobility program: Stretching and mobility exercises will be used to restore your regular range of motion
5. Movement analysis and technique corrections: Your work setup could be affecting your elbow pain. Your physiotherapist will help you analyze your posture and techniques to minimize the stress on your muscles and joints. Ultimately, this will help with prevention
6. Sport and work-specific training: Specific training is essential before you go back to playing or working intensely. The forces and movements our muscles are required to handle during daily life are very different from what is demanded from them during sport or heavy repetitive tasks. Training for power, performance, and endurance is the final step of treatment

When to Seek Treatment For Elbow Pain

You should consider physiotherapy for elbow pain if you:

• Have difficulty doing your normal tasks
• Had a recent traumatic accident with the elbow
• Pain is not improving over time
• Losing motion and strength in the arm
• Have difficulty grasping and lifting objects
• Pain limiting your work, sleep, or physical activities

Whether your pain is caused by a sports injury or simply overuse, the expert physiotherapists at PhysioNow can develop a customized rehabilitation program to help you get your swing back.

Frequently Asked Questions: