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When something goes wrong, it can quickly start to interfere with everyday life and pain is no different. Elbow pain is something many people experience at some point in their life. Whether it’s a dull ache after a long day at work or a sharp pain during exercise, elbow pain can affect anyone.
The elbow plays a crucial role in almost every upper-body movement, from lifting and carrying, typing and gripping. So, even a minor issue can become bigger if left untreated.
From an osteopath’s perspective, elbow pain is rarely just about the elbow itself. The body works as a connected system, and issues in the wrist, shoulder, or even neck can contribute to discomfort in the elbow.
In this article, we’ll discuss how understanding the root cause of elbow pain is key to finding the right treatment and preventing the problem from returning.
The elbow is a hinge joint made up of three bones: the humerus (upper arm), radius and ulna (forearm). Its main functions are proper bending and straightening of the arm, as well as rotation of the forearm. Surrounding the joint are muscles, tendons and ligaments that work together to provide strength and stability.
As the elbow is involved in so many repetitive movements, it is susceptible to overuse injuries. These injuries often develop gradually over time rather than from a single incident, making them easy to ignore until the pain becomes persistent.
There are many reasons why your elbow might be hurting. Identifying the underlying cause of elbow pain often depends on factors such as your daily activities, posture and movement patterns.
Tennis elbow or lateral epicondylitis is one of the most common causes of outer elbow pain and discomfort. Also known as tendonitis, an inflammation of the tendon. Despite its name, this issue isn’t just limited to tennis players. It is typically caused by repetitive strain on the forearm (extensor) muscles responsible for extending the wrist.
Daily activities such as typing, using a mouse, painting, or lifting objects with poor technique can all contribute. Over time, small micro-tears develop in the tendon, leading to pain and reduced grip strength.
When tennis elbow starts to develop you might notice:
The team here at Hobsons Bay Osteopathy have specialised treatments to help you get back to doing what you love, pain free.
Medial epicondylitis or Golfer’s elbow affects the inner side of the elbow and is caused by overuse of the muscles that flex the wrist and fingers.
Like tennis elbow, it’s not limited to golfers and can occur in anyone performing repetitive gripping or lifting tasks. A tendinopathy of the flexor muscles of the forearm, common causes include:
Symptoms often include pain on the inside of the elbow, stiffness and sometimes tingling sensations that radiate from the elbow to the ring and little fingers.
Without proper intervention, this can often lead to issues such as pain when flexing the wrist towards the forearm, tenderness over the inner side of the elbow and loss of grip strength.
Even without a formal diagnosis, repetitive movements can place significant stress on the elbow joint. Modern lifestyles often involve long hours at a desk, constant typing and using of a mouse, frequent phone use or repetitive lifting. All of which can contribute to irritation of the muscles and tendons around the elbow.
Poor ergonomics, such as incorrect desk height or improper keyboard positioning, or leaning on your elbow can further increase strain.
An osteopath will often look beyond the elbow to assess your posture and movement patterns. Rounded shoulders, forward head posture and limited shoulder mobility can all change how forces are distributed through the arm.
When the shoulder and upper back aren’t functioning properly, the elbow may compensate, leading to overload and pain. This is particularly common in people who spend long hours sitting or working on a computer.
In some cases, elbow pain may be related to nerve involvement. The ulnar nerve, which runs along the inside of the elbow, often referred to as the funny bone, can become irritated or compressed. Which is no laughing matter.
This may cause:
Nerve-related pain often requires a different approach to treatment, focusing on relieving pressure and improving mobility along the nerve pathway.
Not all elbow pain develops gradually. Falls, direct impacts or sudden overload can lead to sprains, strains, or more serious injuries such as dislocations or fractures. These injuries are usually accompanied by immediate pain, swelling and limited movement.
If you’ve experienced a recent injury and have significant pain or difficulty moving your arm, it’s important to seek medical attention.
Many cases of elbow pain are often caused by everyday habits rather than injuries. Small, repetitive movements performed over time (and incorrectly) can add up, putting excessive strain on the joint.
Some common contributing factors include:
Understanding how these factors can affect the health of your elbow is an important step in both treatment and prevention.
Osteopathy focuses on treating the body as a whole rather than just the site of pain. When assessing elbow pain, an osteopath will look at how the entire upper body is functioning.
This may include:
Our osteopathic treatments are tailored to the individual and may involve a combination of hands-on techniques such as stretching, strengthening exercises and advice on modifying your activities.
The best treatment for elbow pain depends on the underlying cause, but the most common that are:
While mild elbow pain may go away on its own, there are times when it’s important to seek professional care. Consider seeing an Osteopath if:
Early intervention can often prevent a minor issue from becoming a long-term problem.
Elbow pain can be frustrating and if left untreated can become debilitating. Especially when it starts to interfere with your daily activities. However, it’s often a sign that something in your movement patterns or lifestyle needs attention.
By understanding the common causes and taking a proactive approach to treatment and prevention, you can reduce pain and improve overall function. Whether it’s adjusting your posture, modifying activities or seeking guidance from an osteopath, small changes can lead to lasting relief.
Whether it’s tendonitis pain relief in Newport, or osteopathic treatments in Seddon, our team have been helping locals for over 20 years with problems such as back pain, shoulder pain, tendonitis and sports injuries like tennis elbow.
To book an appointment or call us on 03 9399 9441 to talk to us about how we can help.
Osteopathy is a hands-on type of healthcare that focuses on how the different parts of your body are connected and how they work together.
The main philosophy behind osteopathy is that your body is one whole system. If one area has a problem, it can affect other parts of the body and the pain you feel in one spot might actually come from somewhere else.
Osteopaths are government-registered healthcare practitioners who complete a minimum of five years of university training and are specially trained to check, find out what’s wrong, and treat muscle and joint problems.
Instead of just treating the painful spot like your sore elbow, they look at the whole anatomy. They check your joints, muscles, ligaments, and how everything moves and works together.
This whole-body approach is really helpful for pain. Often the pain isn’t just from the affected area itself. It can come from tight muscles, poor posture, repetitive movements, or the way your shoulder or neck is working.
Osteopaths are trained in how the body works, including its structure, systems and common health conditions. They learn about anatomy, how the body functions, and how to recognise different injuries and illnesses, along with hands-on treatment techniques.
As primary healthcare professionals, osteopaths can assess your condition and recognise when something may need referral to a doctor or specialist. They are also trained to carry out thorough examinations of the body, including the muscles and joints, as well as the heart, lungs and nervous system, to get a complete understanding of your health.
