East Toronto Orthopaedic & Sports Injury Clinic and Trilogy Physiotherapy have partnered in order to provide you with the experienced and skilled care you deserve.
Elbow pain can be caused by a variety of reasons including due a traumatic injury, but most often it is caused by repetitive overuse of the muscles surrounding the elbow.
Common causes of elbow pain include:
Lateral Epicondylitis (Tennis Elbow)
This is an overuse injury that causes pain and inflammation of the tendons that attach to the outer bony prominence (lateral epicondyle) of the elbow.
The pain may extend into the forearm muscles and is usually aggravated when grasping or holding an object even as light as a cup of coffee. Any repetitive motion of the wrist such as hedge trimming, using a hammer or screwdriver, painting, or any activity that requires constant gripping or squeezing can cause tennis elbow. It can occur in anyone who strains the lateral elbow through overuse.
Small or large tears can be present in the extensor muscles of the wrist. Chronic elbow pain can develop with epicondylopathy or enthesopathy, a pathological state of the muscle tendons, especially at the point of their attachment to bone tissue.
Medial Epicondylitis (Golfer’s Elbow)
This is a condition that causes pain where the tendons of your forearm muscles attach to the bony bump on the inside of your elbow.
The pain might spread into your forearm and wrist, much like tennis elbow. This is also typically an overuse injury to the muscles and tendons. Similar activities as described for tennis elbow aggravate the pain, but with some differences. Athletes who throw can get golfer’s elbow due improper technique. There may also be numbness or tingling in the ring finger and pinky finger.
Ulnar Nerve Compression
The ulnar nerve passes through a boney groove along the inside of the elbow.
The nerve can cause pain, and at times, numbness along the inside of the forearm to the pinky and ring finger when irritated or inflamed. This can occur if someone hits their elbow sharply or leans on the elbow in a position that puts pressure on the nerve.
Physiotherapy Treatment
Management of the above conditions has been proven to be helpful in relieving pain, speed up recovery and rehabilitate chronic issues in the elbow.
Treatment involves education, self-care management, exercise therapy, and manual therapy are commonly used by a registered physiotherapist to treat elbow pain. Other treatments such as acupuncture, soft tissue release and massage therapy can also help. Bracing of the elbow can also be helpful for lateral and medial epicondylar issues. A registered physiotherapist can conduct a assessment and examination of your issue and recommend the appropriate treatment.
To book an appointment, Call Us today at 416-691-3943 or contact us here.
Frequently Asked Questions About Elbow Pain
How do you assess elbow pain?
An assessment of your elbow pain starts with a conversation between you and your therapist to determine when and how the elbow pain started, what type of pain it is, the severity and factors that worsen or improve the pain. Next, your therapist will perform a physical examinination, which may involve looking at your elbow's range of movement, strength, stability, and/or performing specific tests to examine different muscles, tendons, or nerves around the elbow. Using the results of both the conversation and the physical examination, your therapist will design a treatment plan to address your specific pain and the factors that led to it.
Is elbow pain therapy painful?
During the treatment of elbow pain, there may be some exercises and manual therapy techniques that are uncomfortable. This is normal and your feedback is an important part of tailoring the treatment protocol to you. This means that while some discomfort may occur, the exercises and manual therapy techniques employed will be modified based on your feedback so that they keep you on track to see week over week improvements in pain and function.
How long does therapy take for elbow pain?
Therapy for elbow pain depends on many factors, including the specific injury, how long you have been experiencing it, and the ability to modify or stop painful activities as part of your recovery. During your assessment, your therapist will explain the injury to you and will give you a rough estimate as to how long the therapy will take.
When should you see a therapist for elbow pain?
"While there are many types of elbow pain, some of which can naturally go away on their own, there are some definite times that you should see a therapist for your elbow pain.
If your pain is the result of a traumatic incident (for example, a fall or your arm or elbow being hit or a sudden pain when lifting or throwing), it is a good idea to see a therapist to have your pain evaluated to rule out the need for X-rays or surgery.
For elbow pain that has started with no specific cause, you should see a therapist if it is not improving and is interfering with your normal daily activities or work. Your therapist will work with you to help get you back to your activity as soon as possible."
Is heat or cold better for elbow tendonitis?
For sudden onset elbow tendonitis, use of cold for the first 3-5 days is ideal. This is because it helps limit the swelling and inflammation in the area, which can contribute to pain. Ice can also be used after the first 5 days for pain relief. However, after the first 5 days of a sudden onset tendonitis, or for tendinopathies that have been painful over a longer period, heat may be better. This is because the heat increases circulation to the elbow, which aids in healing and also decreases the tightness and guarding of muscles at the elbow. Despite these guidelines, more and more research is showing that when it comes down to heat vs cold, the best to use is the one that feels the best to you.
Does a compression sleeve help tennis elbow?
A compression sleeve can help with the pain with tennis elbow. It does this by reducing the amount of swelling and inflammation at the site of the pain. In addition, it promotes better circulation, which can aid in the healing process. Another benefit is that compression can feel comforting and supportive, which can help improve how you feel about your elbow and enhance your healing.
What are some ways to prevent elbow pain?
Elbow pain can be prevented through a few simple steps. First, it is important to keep healthy and active, including some form of resistance training 2-3 times per week. This helps ensure that the muscles around your elbow are strong and resilient. Next, when doing activities that are intense or repetitive that involve the elbow, it is good to do a warm up. Care should be taken when performing repetitive tasks so that you vary how you perform the task, take plenty of rest breaks, and do not do too much too soon. Finally, it is important to perform some self care, such as stretching, self-massage, or soft tissue release, especially after new or repetitive tasks, to help your body recover.
Y Leung
2024-12-23
This is a great place to take your classes or exercise therapy. I was there for the GLA:D exercise programme led by Sarah Phillips. She was clear, concise and encouraging when needed. The reception staff are friendly and professional. All in all, a very good experience and convenient location too.
Tahira Gonsalves
2024-12-09
Trevor was great! He provided detailed information (which I asked for 😀) to understand my injury (damaged ligaments on my foot), and provided a very reasonable and doable exercise/physio regimen, which he adjusted as my recovery progressed. Staff at the clinic are also lovely! Thank you!
Cindy Tavener
2024-12-09
Great place -Everyone from front desk to my physio Nikhil very focused on my needs.
Nikhil was also a great listener we made a care plan and both reviewed my progress as i healed he was also open to my suggestions.I will be happy to return if /when injured again.
Baran Akpınar
2024-11-29
I had the pleasure of working with Sarah Phillips through my recovery from a torn Achilles. She kept me informed at every stage, explained what to expect, and adjusted my therapy to overcome any challenges. Thanks to her expertise, I made consistent progress and had an excellent overall recovery at the end.
Beyond her skill, Sarah’s warm and friendly personality made every session enjoyable and motivating. I highly recommend her to anyone in need of expert, compassionate physiotherapy care.
Michelle Hachey
2024-11-06
My good friend recommended me to the Dr. was very honest and very helpful in telling me what to go going forward. Gave me exercises to do at home. How to handle stairs with less pain.
Would highly recommend him if you are in pain of any kind. Very helpful and near public transit.
Naeem Toronto
2024-11-02
I am going to participate in program from Monday,Nov 03,2024
Elaine Gergolas
2024-10-26
I booked a series of appointments to try and establish a good therapeutic schedule and after the first one the therapist insisted I come back to see her earlier than planned - which I did... booking a 45 minute follow-up that turned into a distracted 20 minutes of her note taking... they did adjust the billing to reflect a 30 minute session but it was not an auspicious start.
Then I received a garbled voicemail that seemed to cancel my third appointment - which I had booked a month in advance. It blamed the error on someone at the clinic who forgot to update the schedule... but both my follow-ups to confirm / reschedule were completely ignored.
Consider another company or at least another location...
VR S
2024-10-18
the staff is just awesome, I was having pain in my shoulder which few other places were not able to figure out, Danny spotted the cause and fixed the problem. I am thankful to him and East Toronto Orthopaedic staff from the bottom of my heart
