Elbow injuries respond best to Physiotherapy treatment when assessment is sought soon as possible after the injury.
The elbow can be a tricky area to improved rapidly and so delaying treatment can eventuate in long standing issues that take months to improve.
It is also important that an accurate diagnosis is given as symptoms can be referred from your other areas like your neck and brachial plexus (nerves) similar to neuralgia of the upper limb
Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow is common overuse related injury that typically causes pain at the common bony attachment of the forearm muscles on the outside of the elbow called the lateral epicondyle.
Tennis elbow is not just for those who play racket sports, it’s very common with weightlifting (due to excessive gripping) as well as those using computer and device due to tissue fatigue and overload.
When tension to this area becomes repetitive or high force for extended periods of time without much rest, damage to the attachment occurs.
Subsequent inflammation and degeneration of the extensor tendon can occur.
Sometimes the tendon can tear which may require further injection or surgical intervention.
Your Physio can advise on what the best course of treatment is. Specific eccentric rehab training with changes to your grip, as well as shoulder and scapula stabilising exercises are essential in best recovery outcomes.
Golfer's Elbow
Golfers Elbow is very similar to tennis elbow as the mechanism of an injury as mostly the same, except it’s on the inside (medial epicondyle) and is usually not as severe of long lasting.
Symptoms are usually felt when flexing the fingers (gripping, squeezing) or stretched. Tenderness is reported directly over the bony epicondyle and pain with gripping.
Elbow and Wrist Fractures (and Surgery)
We see elbow fractures mostly in cyclists after a crash or fall from the bike. If the fracture is complex, unstable or displaced, surgery is mostly required.
We then help the athlete with post-operative recovery where restoring the elbow Rom into extension and supination is high on the priority list.
SStrengthening of the shoulder and elbow is part of the process to return you back to full function and sport again.
Smaller fractures in kids and Adults from falling over in sport can be helped with casting of the fracture which we can do in the clinic if it is a simple non-displace fracture of the wrist or forearm.
Tricep Tendinopathy
Overuse of the distal tricep tendon at the back of the elbow can occur with gym weights and lifting.
Usually high volume of pressing and pushing movements or change in a program is to blame in the breakdown of the tendon, resulting in pain, inflammation and weakness.
Like with Tennis Elbow, a graded and specific set of loaded exercises is required to address the weakness specific to the tendon without overloading it.
These start with eccentric and closed chain movements, gradually building to concentric loaded exercises, coupled with modification of the training regime including swapping out some exercises for less aggravating ones over a period of time.
