Many weightlifters, CrossFitters, and athletes experience some sort of pain in their elbows when training. Please do not ignore this as your body is telling you that something is wrong and it needs to be addressed. There are 2 types of problems we will discuss.  First is the most common diagnosis which is lateral epicondylitis (outside part of the elbow) aka "Tennis Elbow". The second is medial epicondylitis (inside part of the elbow) aka "Golfer's Elbow".

Just because it is called tennis or golfer's elbow doesn't mean that you can only get this with those sports. These types of injuries can be experienced by anyone who overuses the muscles of the forearm.

NOTE:If you experience either of these conditions above it is recommended to have a physician do a thorough evaluation. The elbow pain you are experiencing can be more involved such as a pinched nerve, bone spur, etc.

What is tendinitis?

Tendinitis is inflammation and irritation of the tendon which is a thick cord of tissue that attaches the muscles to the bones.

How does this happen?

This happens due to overuse of the forearm muscles and/or poor mechanics. When muscles are overused this puts an enormous amount of tension on the tendons. This increase in tension causes micro tears of the tendons. The cells in the tendons will lay down a substance called collagen and a glue matrix to patch up tears in the tissue. This substance is laid down in a randomized manner to the injured area. The collagen substance will stick to everything it lands on which then reduces the elasticity of the tendon. When the tendon is stretched again, it rips the scar tissue and possibly the tendon tissue and the whole process begins again. Chances are that every time you feel pain in that elbow when you’re doing something, a little more micro-tearing is taking place.

Here are 3 tips to help with your elbow pain:

FIRST AND FOREMOST: you should rest, ice, compress and elevate the elbow which will help decrease the inflammation, pain and/or swelling of the injured area.

1. Stretch the muscles of the forearms

Wrist Extensor Stretch

1. Extend your arm in front of you.
2. Bend your wrist backward.
3. With your other hand, gently bend your wrist further backward until you feel a mild to moderate stretch in your forearm.
4. Hold for at least 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat 3 to 5 times.

Wrist Flexor Stretch

1. Extend your arm in front of you.
2. Bend your wrist towards the floor.
3. With your other hand, gently bend your wrist further towards you until you feel a mild to moderate stretch in your forearm.
4. Hold for at least 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat 3 to 5 times.

2. Find an Active Release Provider (ART)

Active Release Technique is a soft approach to addressing issues in muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves. This approach can help break down the collagen and glue-like matrix (scar tissue) that is deposited within the tissues after an injury. ART can resolve these types of problems quickly and permanently. Overused muscles are the most common reason people experience this type of pain.

Where do I find an ART provider? Just click this link to find a local provider.

3. Use of an elbow support

One method that many people seek out to use is TUFF CUFF 4" Compression Support or to use a FULL elbow support like the TUFF Elbow Sleeves.  Compression cuffs help to alleviate some of the pressure that the tendons are experiencing while doing activities of daily living or even working out. By wearing the TUFF CUFF below the elbow it is essentially compressing the tissues and therefore allowing some of the pressure to be taken off the condyle of the injured elbow. This will allow your elbow to heal when wore for several days to weeks.

Summing it all up!

When you are experiencing pain please listen to your body and understand it is trying to tell you something is wrong. It is important to identify those issues immediately so they do not become a bigger problem in the future.

I hope the article above has helped you understand what elbow pain is and what you can do to help alleviate those types of problems.

Again, if your problem is worse enough you should consult with a physician first.