What’s Causing My Elbow and Wrist Pain — And How Can Physical Therapy Help?
Remember the last time you accidentally slammed your funny bone? That sharp, radiating pain is deeply unpleasant — fortunately, it usually only lasts a few moments. But what happens when that pain lingers? If you’re dealing with pain in your elbow, forearm, or wrist, PhysioWorks is here to help!
Wrist and elbow pain can have several potential causes. Three major nerves run through the arm and can become entrapped, leading to numbness, tingling, and pain. You can also injure the muscles, tendons, or ligaments in the elbow and wrist joints, which can cause mobility restrictions and pain in the impacted area.
Our team of physical therapists will help you get to the bottom of your elbow pain — and we’ll help you find a way to resolve that pain for good. Call us to schedule an appointment and get started today!
A Closer Look at the Causes of Wrist and Elbow Pain
When you come in for your appointment, the first thing we’ll do is carefully review your symptoms and run a few simple movement screens to help pinpoint the cause of your pain.
Overuse injuries are one of the more common causes of wrist and elbow pain. You’ve probably heard of conditions such as tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow — both are examples of overuse injuries. They stem from repetitive movements or awkward postures that strain the joint’s soft tissue, leading to a gradual onset of symptoms.
You can also suffer acute injuries, particularly in the wrist. These injuries happen suddenly rather than over time. Wrist sprains, in which the ligaments in the wrist suffer damage, are among the most common. You can also fracture the bones in your wrist and elbow, which will typically require medical intervention.
Nerve disorders are another common source of discomfort in the elbow, forearm, and wrist. They occur when one of the nerves running through the arm becomes entrapped, leading to pain, numbness or tingling, and mobility restrictions. The location of your symptoms can let you know which nerve is affected:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome affects the median nerve and can become trapped in a structure in your wrist (the carpal tunnel). You’ll typically experience symptoms in your wrist and hand.
- Cubital tunnel syndrome affects the ulnar nerve, which passes through a narrow structure in your elbow (the cubital tunnel). If the nerve becomes entrapped in the cubital tunnel, it can cause symptoms in your elbow and hand.
Finally, arthritis can affect your elbows and wrists, leading to pain and restricted range of motion.
What Physical Therapy Can Do to Help Ease Your Wrist and Elbow Pain
Once our therapist has determined the source of your pain, we’ll develop a customized treatment program to help you find relief. The good news is that physical therapy alone can resolve most common sources of wrist and elbow pain. Here are a few of the techniques we might incorporate into your program:
- Manual Therapy: Manual therapy techniques help reduce pain and restore mobility restrictions. We might guide the joint through its current range of motion, manipulate your soft tissue, or try other techniques.
- Therapeutic Exercises: We’ll create a targeted, progressive exercise program to ease your symptoms. We’ll start with gentle stretches and mobility work, then move on to strengthening exercises to help support and stabilize the impacted joint.
- Braces and Splints: Some conditions might benefit from a brace or splint, which temporarily immobilizes the joint as you work on treatment. We’ll let you know if it’s a good choice and help you find the right device to suit your needs.
- Injury Prevention: We’ll let you know what you can do to prevent future injuries. We might show you ergonomic adjustments to reduce the impact of repetitive movements, postural corrections to minimize strain on your wrist or elbow, or other strategies.
Let’s Get to the Root of Your Wrist or Elbow Pain!
Pain in the wrist or elbow can seriously impact your quality of life, making it difficult to perform day-to-day movements like brushing your teeth, typing on a computer, or preparing a meal. The team at PhysioWorks will help you get to the bottom of your pain to find lasting relief.
Call us to schedule your initial appointment today!
Get Moving Again with PhysioWorks!
Don’t let pain dictate your life. Take the first step towards reclaiming your mobility and well-being with our expert support.
Start your journey to a healthier you today.
Exercise of the Month
Elbow Flexion
Start seated with your arms by your sides. Place your opposite hand on the upper arm of the arm you want to exercise in order to pin your arm to your side. Slowly bend your elbow upward as far as you can raising your hand upwards. Slowly return to your starting position. Repeat 3 sets of 10 reps.
Feel Better by Eating Better!
Minted Couscous Salad
Ingredients:
- 1 cup dry couscous
- 1 cup jarred roasted red peppers
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Juice from 1/2 lemon
- 1 tomato, seeded and diced
- 1 English cucumber, diced
- 1/2 cup mint (or flat-leaf parsley)
- Salt and pepper
Directions:
Cook the couscous according to package directions. Fluff with fork. Meanwhile, dice roasted red peppers and add diced tomato and cucumber to a bowl. Add lemon juice and olive oil and stir to combine. Finely chop mint (or parsley) and add to bowl, along with the cooked couscous, and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
Service Spotlight
Hand therapy – a specialized form of occupational therapy:
There are different specialties to occupational therapy, and hand therapy is one of them. Hand therapy focuses on treating orthopedic upper-extremity issues to optimize the functional use of the arm and hand. Hand therapy is used to treat several conditions surrounding the upper extremities, including but not limited to:
- Sprains/strains
- Fractures
- Arthritis
- Tendonitis
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Lacerations
- Amputations
In general, hand therapy in Silverdale and Kent, WA focuses on the biomechanical issues of upper-extremity conditions. It’s a patient-centered approach that addresses the needs of the patient, such as being able to lift objects, open a jar, or button a shirt.
There are several interventions that a hand therapist can make, in order to help you comfortably perform daily functions. This may include any combination of therapeutic exercises, mirror therapy, orthosis design, pain management, manual therapy, taping, ergonomics, or compression therapy. There are several activities that a hand therapist may have you perform in order to strengthen your upper extremity after an injury, such as working with putty, using a gripper, or using dumbbells. Contact PhysioWorks today!
There are several benefits to hand therapy, including:
- Management of acute or chronic pain
- Design and implementation of home exercise programs to increase motion, dexterity, and/or strength
- Training in the performance of daily life skills through adapted methods and equipment.
- Preventative, non-operative or conservative treatment
- Customized splint fabrication for prevention or correction of injury
- Desensitization following nerve injury or trauma
- Sensory re-education after nerve injury
- Conditioning prior to returning to work
Contact PhysioWorks for relief!
You feel better emotionally when you can comfortably engage in your hobbies and everyday activities. If you believe you could benefit from occupational therapy, don’t hesitate to request an appointment today in Silverdale or Kent, WA. PhysioWorks is ready to get you started on the path toward living a more enjoyable, comfortable and functional life!
Ezra Sauter
(OT, CFCE, PGAP, Director of Industrial Rehab)
Born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Ezra obtained a Masters of Occupational Therapy Degree at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. As an integral part of building PhysioWorks’ industrial rehab program, Ezra also completed his Functional Capacity Evaluator and PGAP certification. He works directly with every patient involved in our industrial program which includes patient evaluation, developing an individualized rehab strategy, and implementing the rehab plan. He monitors his team and his patients on a daily basis and has a passion for helping people get through difficult times to help return them back to their meaningful activities. Outside of work, Ezra has an active lifestyle and enjoys fitness, skiing in the mountains, and playing music. He is an avid Minnesota Timberwolves fan and has a weakness for cookie dough ice cream.
Staff Spotlight
Danny Beeman
CEO, MPT, CFCE, PGAP
Karl Lange
PT, CFCE, Clinic Director
Luda Moskvich
Lead PTA, COEE
Alicia Ables
PTA, CES
Iryna Hrytsyuk
COTA, Industrial Rehabilitation Supervisor, CI
Natalia Zhuk
COTA/L
Leah Salius
Administrative Supervisor
Michaela Caragiorgio
Billing Supervisor
Sherlyn Dagohoy
Patient Care Coordinator
Jeric Tumaob
Patient Care Coordinator