You love staying active and pushing yourself. But what happens when your body pushes back? If a nagging pain in your elbow shows up after workouts, golf or tennis, you're not alone. Learning what causes this elbow pain and how to stop it is key to staying in the game you love, without hurting.
Understanding Common Sports-Related Elbow Injuries
Your elbow is a complex joint that's always working. When it hurts, it often means you've used it too much or had a sudden injury from repeating motions or hard hits. Let's look at some common problems:
- Ulnar nerve issues (ulnar neuritis): This happens when the nerve inside your elbow (the "funny bone" nerve) gets bothered or squished. This can cause tingling, numbness or weakness in your hand.
- Bone spurs: These are small, hard growths of bone. They can grow in your elbow joint and cause pain, making it hard to move.
- Bursitis: Tiny sacs filled with fluid around your elbow get swollen and irritated. These sacs help things move smoothly, so when they inflame, it causes pain and swelling.
- Golfer's elbow (medial epicondylitis): This causes pain on the inside of your elbow. It often comes from overusing the muscles in your forearm.
- Tendon tears: Over time, the strong cords (tendons) in your elbow can get tiny rips from overusing your arm.
- Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis): Pain on the outside of your elbow occurs when tendons there get irritated or hurt. People who play tennis, work in construction or do other activities that require repeated use of the forearm muscle are prone to tennis elbow.
When to Take Your Elbow Pain Seriously
It's easy to try to ignore elbow pain and just keep playing. But not paying attention can lead to bigger problems. You should see a doctor if you notice:
- Numbness or tingling in your hand or fingers
- Pain that doesn't go away with rest or home care
- Severe or sudden pain, especially after a new injury
- Swelling and redness, especially if the area feels warm (a sign your elbow is inflamed)
- Trouble moving your elbow, like not being able to straighten or bend your arm fully
- Weakness or difficulty holding things or doing daily tasks because of elbow pain or nerve issues
Getting sports-related elbow
injuries checked early helps stop long-term damage and gets you back to your game sooner.
Preventing Elbow Pain: Stay in the Game
Stopping elbow pain before it starts is your best plan. Here's how to lower your chance of getting hurt:
- Prep your elbow. Gently warm up and stretch your arm and wrist muscles before any activity.
- Build strength. Stronger muscles help your elbow joint withstand stress, lowering your chance of getting hurt from using your arm too much.
- Perfect your form. Bad form causes many sports-related elbow injuries. Work with a coach or physical therapist
to learn proper swinging, throwing and serving motions.
- Pace your progress. Don't suddenly do too much or play too long. Go slowly to let your body get used to a new activity.
- Rest to rebuild. Give yourself time to heal between playing. Pushing through pain and swelling often makes things worse. If your elbow hurts, rest it.
- Choose the right gear. Make sure your golf clubs, tennis rackets or other sports gear fit you correctly.
Sometimes, elbow pain can still happen even if you try your best to avoid it. For pain relief from overuse or sudden injuries, your doctor might suggest medicine or other ways to feel relief.
Expert Care for Your Elbow Pain
If elbow pain keeps bothering you or you have a sports-related elbow injury, Union Health Orthopedics
can help you return to your active life. Our skilled doctors understand the complex parts of the elbow joint. They are experts at finding and fixing all kinds of elbow pain, from golfer's elbow to tennis elbow and more.
Need someone to check out your elbow pain quickly? Visit our Orthopedic Walk-in Clinic and Sports Medicine Clinic at Bone & Joint South located at 4601 South 7th Street in Terre Haute. No appointment needed – just stop by for expert care.