The elbow is formed where the 3 bones meet together to form a hinge, like joint.
The 3 bones of the elbow are:
- Humerus
- Ulna
- Radius
Elbow pain can come commonly from overuse, poor posture, or sporting injuries or falls. Often there can be tightness in the elbow area from overuse of the hands and with overuse of computers and driving for example. If one side of the elbow is tight, it can put stress on the other side of the elbow and cause pain.
Common causes of elbow pain include:
- Tennis elbow, otherwise called Lateral Epicondylitis
- Golfers elbow, otherwise called Medical Epicondylitis
- Other tendonitis problems
- Joint sprain/fractures
- Other elbow and shoulder/wrist injuries
We perform a detailed assessment to see where your problem comes from. Often elbow pain can be related to shoulder problems, neck problems or wrist problems as well. After a thorough assessment, we can get to the root cause of your pain. Then we can tailor a treatment program individualized for you to help you resolve it, move better and get stronger and back to sport and function!
Some of the physiotherapy treatment techniques we use include manual therapy, intramuscular stimulation (IMS), acupuncture, therapeutic ultrasound and exercise.
Little League Elbow
Little League Elbow is a common overuse injury seen in young athletes, particularly those who play baseball.
It occurs when the repetitive stress of throwing puts strain on the medial elbow where the tendon attaches to the bone and in youth athletes can affect the growth plate in the elbow, causing pain and inflammation.
Signs to watch for:
- Pain or tenderness on the inside of the elbow
- Decreased throwing performance or difficulty throwing
- Swelling or stiffness around the elbow
What can help?
Rest and taking breaks from throwing, especially if a growth plate injury is suspected.
Early intervention from a physiotherapist to assess your injury fully. This will help to ensure proper recovery and prevent further injury.
Your treatment and recovery may include:
- Stretching and strengthening exercises (when pain allows)
- Ice and anti-inflammatory treatments
Medial epicondylitis, otherwise called:
- throwers elbow
- golfers elbow
- forehand tennis elbow
can also occur in adult athletes!
Preventing Little League Elbow or other forms of medial epicondylitis starts with proper throwing mechanics and not overloading arms with too many pitches.
If you need assistance with your throwing mechanics and strength for the sport, please ask our physiotherapists to help you learn what to do!
Encourage your players to listen to their bodies and take breaks when needed!
If you or your child are experiencing elbow pain, it’s always a good idea to get a professional assessment.
As trained sports physiotherapists, We are here to help assess and treat your injury, help with improving mechanics and strength and provide safe recovery and return-to-sport strategies!
We look forward to helping you.
Contact us for more details.
Learn More about Treatment Options
Check out our Physiotherapy Treatment Videos and our Informational Videos about elbow pain.