What’s the deal with ELBOW injuries?
Most elbow injuries are simply caused by overuse, we call these repetitive strain injuries. These types of injuries occur when there is an activity repeated over and over with little time off between sessions to allow the body to heal. Effectively, this causes the joints or muscles to become inflamed or aggravated due to their constant use.
Common symptoms you may experience include pain, stiffness, weakness or swelling at the affected area which can worsen over time.
Here are some of the most common causes of elbow pain that we see here at KHC:
Sports: Such as baseball, golf, football, bowling, tennis, swimming and martial arts are the common sports that can lead to repetitive strain of the elbow joint.
Work: jobs such as industrial work (e.g. automobile repair, home renovations, plumbing), office work (e.g. using a computer mouse, typing), painting, hospitality (e.g. cooking, knife work, butchery) are known contributors to elbow pain due to the bending and straightening action of the elbow.
Hobbies: less common but also known contributors to elbow pain are activities such as house cleaning, knitting, gardening and woodwork/carpentry
If you do engage in some of these common causes of elbow pain, below are some of the injuries you may be at risk of + some common initial symptoms that you’ll want to look out for.
Common elbow conditions + associated symptoms:
Osteoarthritis - joint stiffness and swelling particularly worse in the morning
Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylalgia) - pain along the outside of the elbow
Golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylalgia) - pain along the inside of the elbow
Olecranon bursitis - pain/swelling on the tip of the elbow
Ligament sprains and strains - Usually after a fall or dislocation injury
So what can you do NOW to avoid elbow injuries?
Because most elbow injuries occur as a result of overuse, they can often be prevented by:
Warming up and stretching effectively
Using elbow padding/protection on repetitive jobs
Using a proper-sized grip on sporting equipment
Correcting poor sport techniques
Using correct tension in racquet sports
Most importantly, it is key to practice exercises that help strengthen the muscles surrounding the elbow joint and take breaks from repetitive tasks.
Treatment for elbow pain:
If you are experiencing elbow pain already, don’t put up with it! The longer you leave it, often the longer it takes to rehabilitate:
Begin with the RICE method (rest, ice, compression, elevation) which limits swelling and pain.
Alter your aggravating activity: depending on where your injury occurred you may see improvement in swapping tools, switching to an ergonomically-designed computer mouse or altering your posture when sitting or standing, it is also important to check your sporting equipment to make sure it fits properly and is in good condition to avoid overcompensation from the forearms.
Last but not least, book in for a treatment with a health professional.
Elbow injuries can be tricky to manage especially if it’s related to a sport, job or hobby that causes repetitive stress on the joint. Osteopathy can provide a great benefit for patients with elbow pain, here at KHC we would love to help relieve your pain, avoid common injuries and get you back to doing the activities you love pain-free - Book below for an appointment today: https://www.keilorhealthcentre.com/book-online=
For more information on common conditions affecting the elbow head to: https://www.coastalorthoteam.com/blog/elbow-injuries-types-therapy-options-common-surgeries
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