Elbow pain can be surprisingly disruptive. You might first notice discomfort when lifting a coffee cup, gripping a tool, carrying shopping bags or completing a workout. For some people, the pain appears after a specific injury. For others, it develops gradually after weeks or months of repetitive activity.
The elbow is involved in many everyday movements of the arm, wrist and hand, which means irritation around the joint can quickly affect work, sport and daily life.
If you’ve found yourself asking, “Why does my elbow hurt?”, there isn’t one simple answer. Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow are common causes, but muscle strains, joint injuries, repetitive movements and even problems involving the neck can sometimes contribute to symptoms around the elbow.
Understanding where the pain is located, when it occurs and what activities aggravate it can provide useful clues about what may be happening.
At Empowered Health Chiropractic, we assess musculoskeletal problems to identify factors that may be contributing to pain and reduced function. In this guide, we’ll look at some of the common causes of elbow pain, what you can do when symptoms first appear and when it may be time to seek professional help.
Why Does My Elbow Hurt?
Your elbow is a joint where three bones meet: the humerus in the upper arm and the radius and ulna in the forearm.
The joint works together with muscles, tendons, ligaments and nerves to allow you to bend and straighten your arm while also helping your forearm rotate.
Because so many structures work together around the elbow, pain can originate from several different areas.
Some common causes include:
- Repetitive gripping or wrist movements
- Sporting activities
- Weight training
- Manual work
- Sudden increases in activity
- Tendon irritation
- Muscle strain
- Direct impact or falls
- Joint irritation
- Nerve-related problems
- Pain referred from another area, including the neck
The location of your symptoms can sometimes help narrow down the possible cause.
For example, pain on the outside of the elbow is commonly associated with tennis elbow, while pain around the inside of the elbow may be associated with golfer’s elbow.
However, symptoms can overlap, which is why persistent or recurring elbow pain is best properly assessed rather than self-diagnosed.
1. Tennis Elbow
Despite its name, you don’t need to play tennis to develop tennis elbow.
Tennis elbow, also known as lateral epicondylalgia, typically causes pain around the outside of the elbow. It involves the tendons associated with muscles that help control the wrist and fingers.
Repeated loading of these tissues may contribute to symptoms.
Activities that can aggravate tennis elbow include:
- Using tools
- Gardening
- Painting
- Computer work
- Racquet sports
- Repetitive lifting
- Weight training
- Frequent gripping
You may notice pain when shaking someone’s hand, gripping an object, lifting something with your palm facing down or extending your wrist.
Symptoms often develop gradually rather than following one obvious injury.
One important consideration is that simply resting the arm may not address all of the factors contributing to the problem. Appropriate management may involve modifying aggravating activities followed by a gradual rehabilitation program designed to restore strength and tolerance.
2. Golfer’s Elbow
Golfer’s elbow affects the inner rather than outer side of the elbow.
Clinically known as medial epicondylalgia, it can develop when the muscles and tendons responsible for wrist and finger movements are repeatedly loaded.
Again, playing golf isn’t required to develop it.
It can occur in people involved in:
- Golf
- Racquet sports
- Weight training
- Throwing sports
- Gardening
- Construction and trade work
- Repetitive gripping
- Manual handling
Pain is generally felt around the bony area on the inside of the elbow and may extend into the forearm.
Certain gripping, lifting or wrist movements can make symptoms more noticeable.
Both tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow can become persistent when the affected tissues continue to be exposed to more load than they can comfortably tolerate.
3. Elbow Pain From Lifting and Gym Training
Elbow pain is also common among people who regularly train at the gym.
Exercises involving repeated gripping, pulling or pushing place considerable demands on the muscles and tendons around the elbow.
Symptoms may develop during exercises such as:
- Pull-ups
- Rows
- Bench presses
- Bicep curls
- Tricep exercises
- Deadlifts
- Overhead presses
The problem isn’t necessarily the exercise itself.
Training volume, technique, recovery, grip position and sudden increases in weight or frequency may all contribute.
For example, significantly increasing your training load over a short period can expose tissues to demands they haven’t yet adapted to.
If your elbow consistently hurts during particular exercises, simply training through the pain may make the problem more difficult to settle.
An assessment can help identify which movements are aggravating your symptoms and whether temporary exercise modifications may be appropriate.
People experiencing sport or exercise-related musculoskeletal problems can also learn more about our Sports Chiropractic in Geelong approach.
4. Elbow Pain From Work and Repetitive Movements
You don’t have to be an athlete to overload your elbow.
Many occupations involve repetitive movements that place ongoing demands on the forearm and elbow.
This may include people who work in:
- Construction
- Carpentry
- Plumbing
- Electrical trades
- Painting
- Gardening and landscaping
- Warehousing
- Manufacturing
- Hairdressing
- Office environments
Repeated gripping, twisting, lifting and computer use can contribute to muscle and tendon irritation, particularly when these movements are performed for long periods without sufficient variation or recovery.
If your elbow feels relatively comfortable at the beginning of the working day but becomes progressively more painful, your work activities may be contributing.
Changing how tasks are performed, taking appropriate movement breaks and gradually improving the capacity of the affected tissues may form part of a broader management strategy.
5. Muscle and Tendon Strains
A sudden movement or unusually heavy load can sometimes strain the muscles or tendons around the elbow and forearm.
You might notice:
- Localised pain
- Tenderness
- Weakness
- Discomfort when gripping
- Pain when moving the wrist or elbow
- Swelling in some cases
Minor strains may improve with appropriate activity modification and gradual return to movement.
However, significant pain, sudden weakness, bruising or an inability to use the arm normally should be assessed promptly.
6. Bursitis
The elbow contains a small fluid-filled sac called the olecranon bursa, which helps reduce friction around the tip of the elbow.
When irritated, the bursa can become swollen.
This may occur following:
- A direct impact
- Repeated pressure on the elbow
- Prolonged leaning on hard surfaces
- Certain inflammatory conditions
- Infection
A noticeable swelling or lump can develop around the back of the elbow.
Because elbow swelling can have different causes, particularly when redness, warmth or fever is present, medical assessment may be required.
7. Joint Injuries and Arthritis
Elbow pain can sometimes originate from the joint itself.
This may occur following trauma, repetitive loading or degenerative changes.
Symptoms can include:
- Joint stiffness
- Reduced range of motion
- Pain when bending or straightening the elbow
- Swelling
- Clicking or catching sensations
A fall onto an outstretched hand or direct impact to the elbow can also result in fractures, dislocations or other injuries requiring prompt medical attention.
If you’ve experienced a significant injury and cannot comfortably move or use your arm, seek appropriate medical assessment rather than attempting to exercise through it.
8. Nerve-Related Elbow Pain
Nerves travelling through the arm can also produce symptoms around the elbow.
The ulnar nerve, for example, passes close to the inner side of the elbow. It’s the nerve responsible for the familiar uncomfortable sensation when you hit your “funny bone”.
Irritation or compression of a nerve may produce symptoms such as:
- Tingling
- Numbness
- Burning sensations
- Weakness
- Symptoms extending into the forearm, hand or fingers
Persistent numbness, tingling or weakness should be professionally assessed.
Could Your Elbow Pain Actually Be Coming From Your Neck?
Interestingly, pain felt around the elbow doesn’t always originate at the elbow itself.
Nerves travelling from the neck eventually continue through the shoulder, arm and hand. In some circumstances, irritation involving structures around the neck may contribute to symptoms further down the arm.
This is known as referred or radiating pain.
You may notice elbow or arm symptoms alongside:
- Neck pain
- Neck stiffness
- Shoulder discomfort
- Tingling
- Numbness
- Weakness
- Pain travelling down the arm
This is one reason a comprehensive assessment shouldn’t necessarily focus exclusively on where you feel the pain.
If you’re experiencing neck symptoms as well, our guide to Chiropractic for Neck Pain provides more information about common causes and management options.
You can also read How Chiropractic Care Can Help With Neck Pain for a broader explanation of our approach.
What Can You Do for Elbow Pain at Home?
If your elbow pain is mild and there hasn’t been a significant injury, some simple changes may help while you monitor your symptoms.
Modify Aggravating Activities
You don’t necessarily need to stop all activity.
Instead, identify the movements that consistently aggravate your elbow and temporarily reduce their frequency, intensity or load.
For example, someone experiencing pain during heavy bicep curls might temporarily reduce the weight or change the exercise rather than stopping all upper-body training.
Avoid Repeatedly Testing the Pain
It can be tempting to continually grip, lift or stretch the arm to see whether the elbow still hurts.
Repeatedly provoking the painful movement may unnecessarily irritate the area.
Give the tissues an opportunity to settle while maintaining comfortable movement.
Keep Moving Within Comfortable Limits
Complete rest isn’t always necessary for musculoskeletal problems.
Gentle, comfortable movement can help maintain mobility while symptoms settle. The appropriate level of activity depends on the cause and severity of your elbow pain.
Review Your Workstation or Technique
If symptoms occur primarily at work, consider your workstation, tools and repetitive tasks.
For gym-related elbow pain, reviewing training volume, grip technique and recent changes to your program can also provide useful clues.
Don’t Rush Back Into Heavy Loading
Feeling slightly better doesn’t necessarily mean the affected tissues are ready for their previous workload.
A gradual return to normal activity can give muscles and tendons time to adapt.
When Should You Seek Help for Elbow Pain?
Not every episode of elbow pain requires professional treatment. Mild symptoms following an unfamiliar activity may settle with appropriate activity modification.
However, consider seeking an assessment if:
- Pain isn’t improving
- Symptoms keep returning
- Your elbow pain is affecting work or exercise
- You’re having difficulty gripping or lifting objects
- Movement is becoming restricted
- You experience persistent tingling or numbness
- Your arm feels unusually weak
- Symptoms are interfering with sleep
- You’re unsure what’s causing the problem
Earlier assessment can be particularly useful when elbow pain keeps returning whenever you resume normal activity.
When Does Elbow Pain Need Urgent Medical Attention?
Some symptoms warrant more immediate medical attention.
Seek prompt medical care following a significant injury or if you experience:
- Severe pain after a fall or accident
- An obvious deformity
- Significant swelling
- Inability to move the elbow
- Sudden substantial weakness
- Loss of sensation
- Increasing redness or warmth around the joint
- Fever accompanying a swollen elbow
These symptoms may indicate an injury or medical condition requiring investigation beyond routine musculoskeletal care.
How We Assess Elbow Pain at Empowered Health Chiropractic
Effective management starts with determining what’s contributing to your symptoms.
At Empowered Health Chiropractic, assessment may involve discussing:
- When your pain started
- Where the pain is located
- Activities that aggravate or relieve symptoms
- Your work and exercise habits
- Previous injuries
- Other symptoms such as neck pain, tingling or weakness
We may then assess movement, strength and relevant muscles and joints to better understand your presentation.
Depending on the findings, your management plan may include hands-on treatment, soft tissue techniques, exercise rehabilitation, activity modification and advice designed around your individual circumstances.
For people experiencing broader muscle, joint or movement concerns, you can learn more about our Musculoskeletal Support in Geelong services.
Why Rehabilitation Matters for Persistent Elbow Pain
One of the most important parts of managing many persistent elbow problems is gradually improving the ability of the muscles and tendons to tolerate load.
This is particularly relevant for tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow and other overuse problems.
Rather than simply avoiding the activity indefinitely, rehabilitation may progressively introduce appropriate exercises to improve strength and tolerance.
The specific exercises, resistance and progression should reflect the individual person’s symptoms and goals.
For someone who works with tools, successful rehabilitation might mean returning to repetitive gripping without significant discomfort. For a tennis player, it could mean gradually returning to serving and racquet work. For someone who trains in the gym, it may involve rebuilding tolerance to pulling, pressing and gripping exercises.
The goal is not simply to make the elbow feel better temporarily. It’s to help you confidently return to the activities that matter to you.
Frequently Asked Questions About Elbow Pain
Why does my elbow hurt when I lift something?
Pain when lifting can occur when muscles, tendons or joints around the elbow are irritated or overloaded. Tennis elbow is one possible cause, particularly when pain occurs on the outside of the elbow during gripping or lifting. However, other conditions can produce similar symptoms, so persistent pain should be assessed.
How can I tell if I have tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow?
Tennis elbow usually causes pain around the outside of the elbow, while golfer’s elbow generally affects the inside. Both can be aggravated by gripping and wrist movements. Location alone isn’t enough to make a diagnosis, so an assessment may be useful if symptoms persist.
Should I stop exercising if my elbow hurts?
Not necessarily. Depending on the cause and severity of your symptoms, modifying exercises, reducing load or temporarily avoiding particular movements may be more appropriate than stopping all physical activity.
Can neck problems cause elbow pain?
In some circumstances, yes. Nerves originating around the neck travel into the arm, so certain neck-related problems can produce pain, tingling, numbness or weakness further down the arm. An assessment can help distinguish local elbow problems from symptoms that may originate elsewhere.
How long does elbow pain take to improve?
Recovery time varies considerably depending on the cause, severity, duration of symptoms, activity levels and other individual factors. Persistent tendon-related problems can take time to improve and often require gradual rehabilitation rather than a quick fix.
Don’t Ignore Elbow Pain That Keeps Coming Back
Elbow pain may start as a minor inconvenience, but persistent symptoms can eventually affect work, training, sport and everyday activities.
Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow are common causes, but they aren’t the only possibilities. Muscle strains, joint problems, nerve irritation, repetitive activities and symptoms referred from the neck can all contribute.
If your elbow pain isn’t improving, keeps returning or is preventing you from doing the things you enjoy, identifying the cause is an important first step.
At Empowered Health Chiropractic, we provide personalised assessment and musculoskeletal care based on your symptoms, lifestyle and individual goals.
Book an appointment with our Geelong team to have your elbow pain properly assessed and discuss the most appropriate next steps for you.
