The pain in the inner elbow is quite unpleasant. Do not listen to the famous motto "without pain, there is no progress", since recurring discomfort in a specific area of your body can alert you to an injury. If you feel pain in your elbow, it is a sign that something is wrong. Overuse injuries are the most common in this joint, so you may end up modifying your exercises to improve the condition.
This type of injury is also known as golfer's elbow , as it is a common ache associated with the sport. It is a form of tendinitis that causes inflammation of the tendons and can radiate pain up to the forearm. Unlike tennis elbow, this causes discomfort on the inside of the joint.
If we practice a sport that requires strength in the arms (such as strength training or golf), it is essential to hold a 1 kilo weight in your hand and reproduce the movements of the wrist and elbow of your sport. At the same time, we will strengthen the lower part of the body and the core muscles (back and abdomen).
What is it?
Medial epicondylitis ( golfer's elbow) is a type of tendinitis that affects the inner part of the elbow. It develops where the tendons of the forearm muscles connect to the bony part on the inside of the elbow.
Tendons attach muscles to bones. Due to injury or irritation, they can become swollen and painful. Although medial epicondylitis is known as golfer's elbow, it doesn't just affect golfers. It can occur from any activity that involves the use of the arms or wrists, including tennis and strength training.
If left untreated, golfer's elbow can cause permanent damage , such as limiting the range of motion of the elbow, causing chronic pain, and weakening the grip.
It is estimated that less than 1% of the population has golfer's elbow. It affects men and women between the ages of 45 and 64. Women are more likely than men to develop inner elbow pain. Approximately 90% of people with this condition develop it by doing something other than playing sports.
Golfer's elbow typically affects the dominant arm . For example, right-handed people often develop pain on the inner elbow of their right arm. Symptoms usually begin as a tender spot on the inside of the elbow. The pain may also radiate up and down the arm.
Inner elbow pain symptoms
The pain you have may happen suddenly or over time. In addition to this localized discomfort, you may notice other symptoms. In the early stages of an injury, pain may be the only noticeable indicator, but it doesn't mean these other symptoms aren't present:
- Swelling
- Tenderness on the inside of the elbow, causing pain when making a fist or swinging the arm
- tingling fingers
- Weakness in the wrists and hands
- Redness
- Warm to the touch
- reduced elbow function
- Stiffness, especially in the morning.
This injury is usually diagnosed during a physical exam. The doctor will ask about the type of exercise we did, what we worked on, and how the symptoms developed. Then some simple tests will be done to help make a diagnosis. The doctor may apply some pressure where the tendon meets the bone to feel for pain. When the elbow is straight and the wrist is flexed (bent toward the palm side), we will feel pain on the outside of the elbow as we extend or straighten the wrist.
Your doctor may also order imaging tests, such as an X-ray or MRI, to rule out other disorders that can cause arm pain. These include arthritis of the elbow. These tests are usually not needed to make a diagnosis.
Causes of Inner Elbow Injuries
These types of weightlifting injuries are primarily caused by lifting too much weight , too soon. If you've recently started bench pressing and have been increasing the weight, you may not have given your body enough time to adapt and strengthen. This causes undue wear and tear on the elbow joint and surrounding tendons and muscles, leading to inflammation and pain.
Improper posture is also a major cause of inner elbow pain when bench pressing. Keeping your elbows tucked in instead of flared out places the joints at an awkward angle, putting extra strain on the tendons around the elbow joint. Combine that with too much weight too soon, and you have a recipe for elbow injury.
It can also be due to overuse of the forearm muscles, which allow you to grip, rotate your arm, and flex your wrist. Repeatedly flexing, gripping, or swinging can cause strains or small tears in the tendons.
Other causes of pain can include conditions that cause elbow discomfort when lifting weights. These include:
- Bursitis
- joint dislocation
- Sprain
- Stress fracture
- Osteoarthritis
If you're not sure if what you have is an overuse injury, or if you have other symptoms that aren't associated with an overuse injury, it's a good idea to make an appointment with your doctor.
Inner elbow pain on bench press
There are many reasons for inner elbow pain after bench pressing, but if the pain occurs only after bench pressing, the most likely cause is an overuse injury.
overuse injuries They are caused by repetitive movements that repeatedly put stress on the tendons and muscles. Weight lifting is a good example.
Going to the gym day after day and week after week, carrying the barbell and lifting weights puts a lot of stress on your muscles and joints. Unless you are careful to do it with the correct technique, you will end up with an overuse injury.
Overuse injuries often occur in stages. During the first, you may feel some discomfort that disappears after the warm-up. In the second, the pain may start to show up after your workout. In later stages, the discomfort worsens with activity and you may end up feeling pain or discomfort most of the time.
If you've felt pain only after lifting, the good news is that your injury isn't advanced yet. If you take the right steps now, you may be able to nip it in the bud before it turns into a more serious injury.
Pain in the inside of the elbow when doing biceps
If we hold the bar too tightly, we can activate the flexor tendons (help bend the wrist forward) in the wrist, which can lead to inner elbow pain during the bicep curl. This is because the tendons attach to the inside of the elbow.
If we're bending the wrists too far forward, we can have the same effect on the inside of the elbow as gripping the weight too tightly. Bending the wrist forward can activate the flexor tendons that attach to the inside of the elbow, which can cause pain.
If our elbow hurts during bicep curls or any other activity, we should back off and avoid those activities to give it a chance to heal. If we're having trouble with ongoing pain despite rest (and no other condition has been diagnosed by a doctor), we should consider lower weights with higher repetitions during bicep curls.
Can you lift weight with elbow pain?
Like any sport, nobody wants to rest when they are injured. In fact, most lifters won't even consider elbow pain an injury. However, this annoying pain will get worse if left untreated. The good news is that we don't have to stop lifting weights entirely. However, we must treat elbow pain with some respect.
The first key is recognizing this type of pain early. Tendinitis usually presents as pain near the bony prominence on either side of the elbow. It's typically tender to the touch and usually worsens when you pinch or grip objects. For the first three weeks, this is primarily an inflammatory issue, meaning it should respond well to measures that reduce inflammation. Therefore, applying ice frequently (only until your skin is slightly numb) can help.
The second key to lifting with elbow pain is reducing stress on the tendons while they recover. We recommend reducing stress on these tendons by using two types of devices. First, lifting straps around the barbell or dumbbell allow you to continue lifting, but with less grip strength, thus reducing stress on the tendon. Second, you can use a tendon unloading strap around your forearm muscles while lifting. These assistive devices often allow you to lift while resting the injured part of the tendon.
The final key to lifting with elbow pain is eccentric strengthening . After approximately three weeks, tendonitis is no longer simply tendonitis (an inflammatory problem). The tendon begins to change, and a different treatment regimen is necessary. At this point, anti-inflammatory treatments will no longer be effective. Therefore, it's advisable to begin an eccentric strengthening program or a slow, heavy resistance routine for long-term improvement.
How to avoid your inner elbow pain?
Fixing your injury means that you will have to change your training routine for a while. You can't keep doing the same thing and expect different results. And the longer you keep doing the same thing, the worse your injury will be.
If you are still in an early stage of an overuse injury, you can continue to exercise. You just need to change your routine and reduce workouts.
Although if your elbow pain persists even after making small changes, you may need to make more significant modifications, such as taking a break.
Less load
Since most overuse injuries of the elbow result from increasing the load too quickly, the first step is to reduce it. Take some weight off to decrease the amount of pressure on your elbow. Assess your pain after each workout. If the pain persists, try lowering the weight even further.
Adjusting the frequency of your training can also help. If you currently bench press three times a week, cut back to twice a week. Spread out your workouts evenly, giving your elbow more time to recover between sessions.
Check your technique and posture
The bench press is perfectly safe if you do it correctly. Some people bend their elbows because they feel like it's protecting their shoulders, but the reason for this is often poor range of motion in the shoulders.
In proper bench press technique, the elbows should be widened so that they are directly under the bar. Spread your hands apart on the bar so that your elbows form perfect right angles. This provides the proper structure and support that will relieve some of the strain bench pressure spots in the elbows.
change your exercises
Just because bench pressing hurts your inner elbow doesn't mean doing it with dumbbells will too. This allows your arms to move more freely through a natural range of motion with dumbbells, making it easier on your elbow and relieving your pain.
You can also do cable pressing or try a chest press machine. It doesn't mean you can't bench press again, but temporarily replacing the exercise can help heal your injury without having to stop pressing your chest entirely.
do physiotherapy
If the changes you make to your training routine don't help, you may benefit from a few sessions with a physical therapist. This professional will be able to identify the problem and give you ways to solve the pain, as well as exercises to strengthen or stretch muscles that may be under-worked or over-used. He will also be able to guide you to properly increase your load once you return to your normal bench press program.
It is important to go to physiotherapy as soon as possible, even if it is a recent injury. Waiting a few days could worsen the situation and strain the muscles and tendons. Instead, seeking professional help as soon as possible can relax the injury and improve range of motion as soon as possible.
Better treatments
Treatment of elbow pain depends on the diagnosis. Therefore, it is essential that a healthcare professional determine the cause of the condition before beginning any specific treatment plan. Many elbow pain conditions (with the exception of an elbow fracture or dislocation) can be managed with simple self-care strategies.
Rest
The first treatment for many common inner elbow conditions is to rest the joint, which allows the acute inflammation to subside. However, it is important to be careful when doing this, as prolonged immobilization can cause stiffness in the joint.
Instead, we will try to avoid activities that trigger or worsen elbow pain, such as repetitive or forceful movements of the forearm in the case of epicondylitis, prolonged pressure on the elbow in the case of olecranon bursitis, and heavy lifting in the case of elbow pain. the case of biceps tendonitis.
Ice
Ice packs are among the most commonly used treatments for inner elbow pain, especially epicondylitis and olecranon bursitis. Ice is generally reserved for the initial painful stage.
It is recommended to apply ice to the elbow (by placing a towel between the ice pack and the skin) for 15 to 20 minutes, three times a day. It's also a good idea to ice your elbow for 15 minutes after actively using your arm.
Wearing a brace or elbow pads
For lateral or medial epicondylitis, a doctor may recommend a counterforce brace, which is an elastic strap that is placed a few inches below the elbow. This splint puts pressure on the muscles of the forearm, relieving tension in the tendon that connects those muscles to the elbow bone.
Elbow pads can be used to treat olecranon bursa or cubital tunnel syndrome as they prevent pressure from being placed on the elbow joint. A splint that keeps the elbow in a straight position overnight may also be recommended for cubital tunnel syndrome.
Pharmaceutical products
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory pain relievers, commonly known as NSAIDs, are some of the most commonly prescribed medications, especially for patients with elbow pain caused by problems such as arthritis, bursitis, and tendinitis.
In certain situations, a cortisone injection may be given, which also treats inflammation. For example, cortisone is sometimes injected into the biceps tendon to relieve pain and swelling. Cortisone can also be injected into the olecranon bursa for bursitis that does not improve after three to six weeks with home remedies such as avoiding elbow pressure, icing the area, and using NSAIDs.
Gradual return to normal
As pain resolves and strength returns, it is important to gradually return to normal sport and activities. It may also be necessary to have equipment and technique evaluated by a physical therapist or sports trainer to understand the initial cause of golfer's elbow and prevent future recurrence.
If we have golfer's elbow from work, wearing a brace might help by giving the wrist and elbow extra support so the tendons can heal. We can also try incorporating breaks with gentle stretching or just resting the arm.
Recommended exercises
To build strength, prevent and relieve pain, and increase flexibility, we will do the following exercises twice a day. We will gradually accumulate series and repetitions over time. We will do these exercises before and after any activity that causes us stress or tension.
Golfer's elbow is treated with eccentric flexion exercises. We should expect to feel mild discomfort with these exercises. If the pain becomes acute or is more than moderate, we will stop the exercise and rest for two or three days. We will start with a lighter weight or fewer repetitions. In these exercises, the back of the hand faces the floor to begin with, and the wrist flexors are used, rather than the wrist extensors.
We may experience mild sensations, aches and pains when doing these exercises, but you should not go any further. If we experience pain or any of the symptoms worsen, we will stop doing the exercises. We will allow time to fully rest and if we do not see improvement in a few days, we will speak to a doctor.
Isometric wrist strengthening (extension)
We will keep the body immobile during this exercise.
- While we are sitting, we will place the affected forearm on a table or the arm of a chair with the palm of the hand facing down.
- We will place the opposite hand on the back of the affected hand.
- We will press the affected hand up, using the opposite hand to create resistance by pressing down.
- We will continue for 10 seconds, slowly increasing the resistance.
- We will release gently. We will do 15 repetitions.
Isometric wrist strengthening (flexion)
We will keep the body still while we do this exercise.
- While we are sitting, we will support the affected forearm on a table or the arm of a chair with the palm of the hand facing up.
- We will press the opposite palm on the affected hand.
- We will press the affected hand up while using the opposite hand to create resistance by pressing down.
- We will do it for 10 seconds, slowly increasing the resistance.
- We will release gently. We will do 15 repetitions.
resisted wrist extension
While we are sitting, we will hold a weight with the affected arm.
- We will place the forearm on a table or the arm of a chair with the hand hanging over the edge and the palm facing down.
- We will slowly lower the hand before raising it back to the original position.
- We will do 1 to 3 series of 15 repetitions.
resisted wrist flexion
While we are sitting, we will hold a weight with the affected arm.
- We will place the forearm on a table or the arm of a chair with the hand hanging over the edge and the palm facing up.
- We will slowly lower the hand before raising it back to the original position.
- We will do 1 to 3 series of 15 repetitions.
Golfer's Elbow Stretch
We will feel this stretch in the lower part of the forearm.
- We will extend the affected arm in front of us with the fingers and the palm facing up.
- We'll use the opposite hand to gently pull the fingers and wrist toward the body.
- We will maintain this stretch for 30 seconds.
- We will do 2 to 5 repetitions.
forearm twists
When performing a golfer's elbow loading program, both wrist flexion and forearm pronation should be included. Initially, you can start with a water bottle and increase the weight by reducing the size of your chosen weight, increasing the weight, or increasing the length of the object you spin with your forearm.
- We will take a light weight dumbbell.
- We will place the arm at ninety degrees, near the waist, but without supporting it.
- We will rotate the wrist to the left and right, so that the forearm rotates as well.