What causes elbow pain?

The elbow joint is made up of three bones: the humerus in the upper arm, and the radius and ulna of your forearm. There are many muscles and ligaments that insert or originate at the elbow, which help not only move the elbow but also the wrist and hand.

Examples of acute injuries can involve dislocations, fractures, or muscle/ligament tears, and then there are chronic injuries such as tennis or golfer’s elbow.

Most of the time these injuries can be treated conservatively, but even if surgery is required, you will need physiotherapy to regain the movement and strength. You don’t need a referral to see a Physiotherapist and if necessary, we can refer you for x-rays or scans to rule out any bone related conditions.

How Physiosouth treat elbow pain

• Record a detailed history – including how you injured your elbow and any history of injuries that could be relevant
• Assess your elbow by looking at – movement, strength, functional patterns and special tests – and also the joints above and elbow that could be affected
• Diagnosing your injury, and providing insight into the structures affected
• Choosing the best hands-on treatment to provide (soft tissue massage, mobilisation or joint manipulation)
• Creating an exercise programme and updating it as you progress, that helps you achieve your goals
• Give you advice on how to manage your pain and the injury and how to reduce the risks of it happening again

Outcome of treatment

We know how debilitating injuries to your arms can be, and how it can affect your life, which is why we do our best to get you back on track and working towards your goals.

Most patients will return to their previous level of sports, or simply just how they managed before.