Therapy of a bursitis of the elbow

In therapy, it is especially important to find the causes of bursitis and to treat them specifically. In most cases there is an overstrain of the forearm musculature, which has been caused by one-sided movements. The area where the extensor muscles of the hand are located is particularly affected.

This tendon area can be treated by transverse friction. In this case, the therapist places the finger at a transverse structure and pulls it towards him. He can work with an ice lolly as a support.

The transverse friction is repeated several times and applied to different areas. In addition, the entire tonus in the upper and lower arm can be minimized through massage riffs. The fasciae in the entire forearm area should be loosened, since they are usually stuck together.

These are loosened by the therapist by pulling along the fasciae. Since bursitis often occurs due to the overloading of the entire arm complex, the cervical spine should also be treated. Due to movement restrictions caused by a hypertonic muscle or by a blockage caused by the vertebrae themselves, nerve control can be disturbed.

This leads to a tingling sensation in your hands, fingers falling asleep and possibly an increasing tone in the muscles to compensate for the poor posture. Careful mobilization of the cervical spine and soft tissue techniques on the short neck and shoulder muscles loosen the tension. The shoulder blade should also be mobilized, since a good physiology of the entire arm complex has a positive influence on everyday stress.

Exercises are performed as mentioned above. Classically, patients with bursitis of the elbow are prescribed a supporting bandage. This either covers the entire elbow joint and provides improved blood circulation via pressure and therefore less stress on the joint itself.

Alternatively, there is an elbow brace, which, like the entire brace, reduces the pressure. The bandages can be worn to support the causative activity, but it is imperative that an adequate therapy is carried out.Which ointment is recommended for which patient depends on the patient’s tolerance. Voltaren® is frequently used as an ointment to relieve pain and inflammation.

The ointment can be applied with a light pressure dressing and worn for several hours. Arnica, Kytta or other drug brands can also be tested. For the ointments, consultation with the treating physician or a pharmacist should be sought.

In addition to simple application, an even stronger effect can be achieved by iontophoresis (electrotherapy with ointment application). The elbow can be taped very well in case of bursitis. Here the Kinesiotape is a good choice.

These tapes are elastic and are glued along the musculature. The tape lifts the upper layer of skin and thus increases the blood circulation and therefore has a stabilizing and pain-relieving effect. The tape is stuck from the elbow to the wrist and can be supported by a transversely running tape on the elbow.

In the area of the extreme pain points, a pain tape can also be applied. This consists of 4 short strips, which are glued in a star shape. The tape can be left on for several days and can be re-applied at any time.

It is important to note that the tape itself cannot alleviate the pain, but only supports the therapy. The patient should be shown how to stick the tape so that he can help himself. The use of the stabilizing classic tape is not appropriate, because the mobility in the elbow joint is only possible with difficulty, which is not an advantage in everyday life.