Elbow Issues Got You Down?
Physical Therapy for the Elbow: Elbow Discomfort Reducing Your Quality of Life?
The elbow joint plays a critical role in connecting the mobile shoulder joint with the incredibly functional wrist and hands. Injuries to the elbow can interfere with your ability to play sports, to work, to do activities around the house and even to feed yourself. Whether your elbow injury is brand new or has been bothering your for quite a while, a physical therapist can perform an examination and apply physical therapy techniques to reduce your symptoms and get you back to your daily activities.This article will help you to understand the causes, symptoms and possible interventions that you can expect during a physical therapy treatment.
LET’S GET TO KNOW THE ELBOW A BIT BETTER:
Most people know the elbow joint as a flexor and extensor of the arm and it certainly does this very well. The elbow joint also does what is called pronation and supination which rotate the forearm to translate the hand from a palm up to a palm down position and back. As you can see, the elbow joint plays a critical role in positioning your hands for functional tasks. This hinged joint is made up of the humerus or upper arm bone and the radius and ulna, the two bones of the forearm. Many ligaments stretch between the bones to connect and support them and tendons--the connective tissue end of a muscle--travel from the shoulder, wrist and hand to anchor near this joint. If you think about how many times in a day, an hour, or even a minute you bend or straighten your elbow or rotate your forearm up or down, you can see how this area of the body could experience some stress or strain.
WHAT MIGHT BE THE CAUSE OF YOUR ELBOW SYMPTOMS?
Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis): Pain, burning or aching at the lateral (outside) elbow and forearm, sometimes extending down toward the wrist may be a condition called lateral epicondylitis. A result of strain or stress on the muscles and tendons that attach on the outer elbow, its often caused by repetitive motions of the wrist extensors in conjunction with impaired movement patterns and biomechanics, muscle length, strength and flexibility impairments. Left untreated, this condition can become painful even at rest and can lead to grip weakness over time.
Golfer’s Elbow (Medial Epicondylitis): Pain, burning or aching at the medial (inside) of the elbow and extending down toward the wrist is characteristic of medial epicondylitis. Symptoms may initially be present only during activities requiring repetitive wrist flexion like serving a tennis ball, hitting a golf ball, carrying a heavy suitcase or using certain hand tools but can eventually become symptomatic even at rest. Muscle strength or length impairments, movement pattern inefficiencies and biomechanical errors often contribute to this condition.
Olecranon Bursitis: The olecranon bursa is a small fluid-filled sac that covers the bony tip of the elbow (olecranon process) to help cushion it. When irritated or inflamed it can fill with extra fluid causing swelling of the back of the elbow. Some people will experience pain when they place their elbow on a firm surface or repeatedly bend it and on occasion the bursa can become infected causing warmth and redness in the area. This condition can occur from a hard fall on the elbow such as during a sporting event, as a result of spending prolonged periods of time resting the elbow on a hard surface such as a desk and is more common in certain occupations such as plumbing, gardening and mechanic work. It may also be more common in certain autoimmune conditions.
Cubital Tunnel Syndrome: The ulnar nerve is one of the three main nerves in the arm and travels from the neck, down the arm and to the hand. On it’s way, it passes through the inside bony part of the elbow called the cubital tunnel where it can sometimes experience compression. If you’ve ever hit your “funny bone” you know right where this spot is located. Signs of compression include numbness, tingling or loss of coordination in the ring and little fingers. In cases of severe compression muscle wasting or grip weakness can occur. Sometimes the cause is unknown. Other times it can be caused by arthritis, bone spurs, previous fractures or dislocations and sometimes by repeated bending of the elbow.
Elbow Ligament Injuries: Ligaments are bands of tissue that help hold bones, joints and organs in place. Many ligaments criss cross and surround the elbow joint and are vital to maintaining the stability and function of the joint. Injuries to the ligaments might occur as a result of repetitive strain, for example at the ulnar collateral ligament in baseball pitchers. In other cases, a ligament may be injured during an elbow dislocation when a person falls on an outstretched arm. Though these ligaments are quite resilient and persistent elbow instability is uncommon, physical therapy may be helpful in restoring normal motion and function soon after injury.
HOW WILL YOUR PHYSICAL THERAPIST TREAT YOUR ELBOW?
The first visit with your physical therapist will focus on assessing the elbow. Interviewing you about your symptoms and examining the arm will help your physical therapist to determine the most likely cause of your symptoms and to identify contributing factors such as strength asymmetries, range of motion deficits, tissue mobility problems or biomechanical errors. If you have recently had surgery on your elbow he or she may initiate care based on a post-surgical protocol assigned by your surgeon.
In the first week or so after an injury you can expect your elbow physical therapy treatment may include modalities such as ice, ultrasound or electrical stimulation to manage pain and swelling, education on your injury and any necessary activity modifications, gentle manual techniques such as passive range of motion and possibly taping or bracing to protect the injured area and allow the body’s healing process to proceed. As healing continues you may begin to perform a progressive exercise program to help strengthen the surrounding muscles and normalize muscle length. Your PT may apply manual therapy techniques such as soft tissue or joint mobilizations to restore normal motion. You can also expect to perform activities and exercises to prepare your body to return to it’s previous level of activity with special attention on correcting any movement asymmetries or motor control issues that may have contributed to the injury.
While some elbow injuries may require intervention by a doctor or surgeon, a physical therapist should always be a primary member of your care team. A physical therapist at Evolve can help you get on the road to recovery. Our therapists do not just treat symptoms, but we get to the root of the cause. We strive to enable our patients to live pain free, and prevent the recurrence of related issues
Are you or someone you know experiencing elbow pain? Call Evolve Physical Therapy in Brooklyn today to make an appointment. Our physical therapists will work with you to reduce the risk of complications, and help you get back to living your life to the fullest. Call- 1-718-258-3300 or visit- https://evolveny.com/physical-therapy/elbow-physical-therapy-brooklyn
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First we evaluate, then we heal, then we strengthen our clients so they can reach their goals, feel better, and live happier lives. We do so by utilizing a range of core techniques and specialized treatments to reduce pain, improve mobility, enhance physical strength and deal with the underlying issues, not just the pain itself.
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