Elbow Wrist & Hand Pain
If you have pain in your elbow that came out of nowhere, there’s a decent chance that it's being referred from your shoulder. Excessive gripping or wrist motions also commonly manifest as elbow pain. Proper ergonomics or limited tech use are a must for allowing proper healing.
Common conditions
Because our bodies are so complex, there are many reasons you might be experiencing upper extremity pain.
1
Arthritis
Arthritis is a very common condition especially for anyone older than 55 - but may occur much younger. Osteoarthritis is essentially wear and tear of the bone surface where two bones meet to form a joint. When your joints move with asymmetric forces the contact surface is decreased which increases pressure and friction on a smaller portion of the bone’s surface, leading to a less smooth surface. By restoring symmetry we reduce these excessive forces leading to less friction & inflammation.
2
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)
The Carpal Tunnel is the space in your wrist that the median nerve and multiple tendons pass through. Carpal tunnel syndrome is when this space gets smaller due to inflammation and compressive forces that squish the median nerve. This is typically caused by overuse or recurrent restriction/compression at your wrist.
3
Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
Cubital tunnel syndrome is a common form of nerve compression damage that can lead to elbow, wrist, and hand pain. This condition is similar to carpal tunnel syndrome but occurs at the cubital tunnel which is located at your elbow and affects the ulnar nerve - which innervates your pinky and ring fingers.
4
Golfer’s Elbow/Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow refers to pain on the lateral or outside aspect of the elbow, whereas golfer’s elbow refers to pain on the medial or inside aspect of the elbow.
Both of these conditions are a result of repetitive or overuse injuries and can be attributed to a variety of different movements and are often seen on nonathletes. Physical therapy can restore the underlying joint and soft tissue limitations that are causing strain to the tendons, and rapidly reduces the inflammation.
5
Elbow Bursitis
Many joints including your elbow have a fluid-filled pocket called the bursa that serves as a cushion to the tendons that cross the joint. The bursa can become inflamed due to repetitive motions or compression that creates extra friction during normal movements.
6
Sprains/Strains
Strains refer to muscle or tendon injuries, whereas sprains refer to the ligaments. Sprains and strains typically occur from rapid overstretching of the ligaments or tendons, such as a fall or excessive force that causes your joint to move a bit farther than normal.
