Elbow pain is a common complaint in the population and has very different causes. These range from inflammation of the bursa, to a fracture, to dislocation or inflammation. The injuries are usually persistent and their treatment often proves to be lengthy. Depending on the underlying cause, the symptoms are either acute and strongly stinging, or chronic with a permanent feeling of pain.
Treatment/Physiotherapy
The treatment of elbow pain always depends on the underlying cause. In the case of acute elbow pain, self-help measures are helpful at first. Those affected should first act according to the so-called PECH rule.
That means: If the pain persists longer, worsens or is accompanied by other symptoms such as redness or swelling of the joint, a doctor should be consulted. Depending on the cause, the doctor will determine the right measures to be taken – for example, a fracture often requires surgery. If the elbow pain is caused by overstrain and subsequent inflammation, the elbow may have to be immobilised for some time with a bandage or splint.
In addition, the doctor often prescribes pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory drugs, such as diclofenac or ibuprofen. In addition, ointments, creams, plasters or gels can be applied locally to reduce pain and swelling. In severe cases, joint injections or joint irrigation with local anesthetics or cortisone may also be necessary to achieve pain relief.
During this time, no sports or strenuous activities for the elbow are allowed – otherwise the signs of inflammation will flicker up again and again or even progress. For this reason, it is imperative that those affected listen to the advice of their doctor and physiotherapist as to when they can start putting pressure on the elbow again. It is best to slowly increase the load under the expert advice of the physiotherapist.
However, pain relief is always the first priority. Manual techniques that loosen the tense muscles and relieve the tendon attachments with light stretching exercises are particularly suitable for this purpose. The treating physiotherapist does not only concentrate on the elbow, but also includes the shoulder and neck region in his treatment.
In the next step, stretching and strengthening exercises are combined with a slowly building up muscle training to prevent further overuse damage. The choice of exercises is also based on the underlying cause of the elbow pain. For some clinical pictures, treatment with ultrasound or electrostimulation is also indicated.
Shock wave therapy can also be used as a supplement to promote blood circulation in the affected area and thus accelerate tissue regeneration. If the elbow pain is due to overstrain and subsequent inflammation, the elbow may need to be immobilized with a bandage or splint for some time. In addition, the physician often prescribes pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Diclofenac or Ibuprofen.
In addition, ointments, creams, plasters or gels can be applied locally to reduce pain and swelling. In severe cases, joint injections or joint irrigation with local anesthetics or cortisone may also be necessary to achieve pain relief. During this time, no sports or strenuous activities for the elbow are allowed – otherwise the signs of inflammation will flicker up again and again or even progress.
For this reason, it is imperative that those affected listen to the advice of their doctor and physiotherapist as to when they can start putting pressure on the elbow again. It is best to slowly increase the load under the expert advice of the physiotherapist. However, pain relief is always the first priority.
- Pause
- Ice (Cooling)
- Compressions
- High camp
- Manual techniques are particularly suitable for this purpose, as they loosen the tense muscles and relieve the tendon attachments by means of light stretching exercises. The treating physiotherapist does not only concentrate on the elbow, but also includes the shoulder and neck region in his treatment.
- In the next step, stretching and strengthening exercises are combined with a slowly building up muscle training to prevent further overuse damage. The choice of exercises is also based on the underlying cause of the elbow pain.
- For some clinical pictures, treatment with ultrasound or electrostimulation is indicated as a supplement. Shock wave therapy can also be used as a supplement to promote blood circulation in the affected area and thus accelerate tissue regeneration.
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