Can Chiropractic Care Help Treat Elbow Injuries and Conditions?

We don’t give much thought to our elbows but use them all the time! They are activated in almost every activity, including typing, driving, sports, and exercise. It’s not surprising then that elbow injuries and conditions affect up to nine million US citizens annually.

Elbow pain is often caused by overuse—especially if you love a sport or activity that includes a lot of repetitive arm work. You’re also more likely to experience elbow pain after 40. The good news is that there is hope beyond elbow pain! Let’s learn about typical elbow complaints and how chiropractic care helps you avoid surgery—and its negative side effects. 

5 Elbow Injuries & Conditions

There’s a lot going on around your elbow joint. Bones, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, and a bursa—shock-absorbing structure—all form part of your elbow. These are the most common elbow complaints.

1. Tennis Elbow

Tennis players’ arms and wrists experience extreme force over and over again. You have tennis elbow when the tendons that connect your forearm muscles to your elbow get inflamed due to overuse. 

You’ll experience pain around the outside of your elbow, your forearm, and your wrist. You may also notice weakness when you use your arm. Tennis elbow can affect painters, butchers, and anyone who repeatedly engages their forearm muscles. 

2. Golfer’s Elbow

Golfer’s elbow is similar to tennis elbow, where the tendons connecting your forearm muscles to the bony bump of your elbow become inflamed. But instead of feeling pain on the outer side of your elbow, it’s on the inside. Repeated swinging motions combined with squeezing your fingers around a club are the culprits here.

3. Tendonitis

Repeated contracting and relaxing of your forearm muscles causes tiny tears in the tendons that connect these muscles to your elbows. Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow are types of tendonitis of the elbow. Your body’s natural response to these small tears is inflammation—which causes pain, stiffness, weakness, numbness, and reduced mobility.

4. Sprains and Strains

You may experience pain in your elbow due to soft tissue damage in the muscles, ligaments, or tendons around your elbow. Sports injuries are common causes of sprains (ligament damage) and strains (muscle and tendon damage). But misalignment of the elbow joint or weakness in the muscles around the elbow also makes these injuries more likely.

5. Bursitis

On the outside of your elbow, a small fluid-filled sac called a bursa protects your elbow joint. Overuse of your arm causes irritation and inflammation of this sac and pain and stiffness around the outside of your elbow. In some cases, the swelling is visible—making this easier to diagnose.

4 Ways to Find Elbow Pain Relief

Elbow pain can be unbearable—the good news is that it can often be treated without surgery!

1. Rest

Did you notice how many elbow complaints are caused by overuse? Most of them. If you’re confident overuse is the cause of the problem, take a break from strenuous, repetitive motions, and relief won’t be far behind! When you’re feeling better, ease back into activities slowly and listen to your body.

2. Ice

Inflammation causes a lot of stiffness and pain in your elbow. Reduce the swelling by cooling the area with ice for the first three days. Do this every couple of hours for 10-20 minutes. After the first three days, alternate hot and cold therapy.

3. Pain Meds

Over-the-counter pain medication has its place. Tylenol or Non Steroidal Anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) provide relief to help you carry out your daily activities. Be mindful of your elbows, though. Overdoing it while taking pain meds causes more damage—and slows down your overall recovery. 

4. Chiropractic Care

One of the best treatment options for elbow complaints is chiropractic care. Your chiropractor will help you identify the cause of the injury or pain and create an action plan to help you heal and prevent further incidents. 

Through careful manipulation, they will ensure your elbow joint is optimally aligned—it reduces friction and wears on your joint. Massage and manual therapy target inflammation and increase circulation in the area—speeding up the natural healing process. And stretches and strengthening exercises will restore your mobility and help safeguard your elbow from future injury. Contact Evolve Chiropractic, your local chiropractor in Woodstock, GA, and let us help you get back to working your arms—and doing what you love!