Elbow Pain

The elbow can be referred to as a complex joint formed by the fusion of three bones, namely: the Humerus, Radius, and Ulna. This joint helps in bending or straightening the arm to 180 degrees and moving or lifting objects.

Given below are the structural units that support the bones of the elbow:

• Tendons and Ligaments
• Muscles
• Nerves
• Blood vessels

Causes

Most cases of elbow pain are due to strained or inflamed soft tissues such as tendons or ligaments.

These tend to get better after a few days with simple self-care you can do at home.

Sometimes elbow pain may be caused by a medical condition.

A number of things can cause stiffness in your elbow, including arthritis (arth-rye-tus). Arthritis simply means a joint that is painful and swollen, and there are a number of types of arthritis.

Stiffness can happen due to problems with the elbow joint itself or with the muscles, covering of the joint, or ligaments.

In some situations, such as after an injury or operation, soft tissue can form into scar tissue. This can cause elbow stiffness.

Medical conditions that can cause elbow pain

• Radiohumeral bursitis – bursitis is inflammation of a bursa. Bursae are small sacs that contain fluid to lubricate moving parts such as joints, muscles and tendons. Bursitis may be caused by repetitive use or frequent pressure or by injury to the elbow
• Osteoarthritis – the joint cartilage becomes brittle and splits. Some pieces of cartilage may even break away and float around inside the synovial fluid (a liquid found in the joints). This can lead to inflammation and pain
• Referred pain – injuries to the bones of the spine (vertebrae) can irritate the nerves servicing the arm and cause referred pain around the elbow joint
• Nerve entrapment – the radial nerve is the main nerve of the arm. If this nerve can’t move freely, it can cause pain when the arm is stretched out. The radial nerve can be pinched by vertebrae or the elbow joint. There is evidence to suggest that nerve entrapment contributes to the pain of tennis elbow in some cases
• Ligament sprain – joints are held together and supported by tough bands of connective tissue called ligaments. A sprain is a type of joint injury characterised by tearing of the ligaments.
• Bone fracture – a heavy fall or blow to the elbow may cause one of the bones to break or crack.
• Avulsion fracture – a powerful muscle contraction can wrench the tendon free and pull out pieces of bone.
• Osteochondritis dissecans – in younger people, a piece of cartilage and bone can become loose in the joint.