Once the weather turns warm and people return to outdoor sports and activities, it’s extremely common to see a surge of people experiencing elbow pain; I wanted to share three extremely common reasons that could lead to tendinitis in this area. For the record, pain that occurs when simply holding a coffee mug means the issue has gone way too far and the time to get help is NOW!
Most people who live in regions where winters are cold take these months off from outdoor sports, such as golf and tennis. Jumping right back into these sports as soon as the weather turns warm can easily lead to a sudden and intense onset of tendinitis in the elbow. Simple rest, ice, and stabilization is crucial to allow for basic healing, but then a thorough comprehensive examination should be done to assess for areas where improvement may be needed in mobility, strength, and/or function.
Another common cause for elbow pain is poor ergonomics and mechanics. This could simply be using a poorly designed computer keyboard or mouse, using a golf or tennis racket grip that’s not the correct size for a player’s hand, or performing a sport (or any task) with improper body mechanics. Having an ergonomics assessment, or a movement analysis on the activities that exacerbate someone’s elbow pain, is crucial to leading to a proper recovery.
Lastly, an extremely overlooked cause of tendinitis and pain in the elbow is weakness or dysfunction of the shoulder. Weakness and poor mechanics of the shoulder, often seen with poor shoulder posture, puts strain and stress on more distal structures, such as the elbow, forearm, and wrist. A full assessment of the upper body is crucial in successfully treating both the dysfunctional shoulder and elbow tendinitis in this matter.
For optimal healing and recovery, we always recommend a physical therapy setting that offers one-on-one care and where each patient is assessed and treated in a way that’s specific to their goals.
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