Get Back to Lifting, Gripping, and Using Your Arm Normally
Elbow pain can make simple movements surprisingly difficult. Lifting a coffee cup, carrying groceries, gripping tools, working at a computer, exercising, or playing sports may become uncomfortable. If you are looking for elbow pain relief in West Valley City, Tooele in Northpointe, Tooele on Main Street and Grantsville, UT, Meier & Marsh Physical Therapy can help determine what is contributing to your symptoms and which treatment is right for you.
Our physical therapists combine clinical excellence with personalized care. We assess your elbow, look at the movements and activities that bother you, and prescribe treatment based on your specific problem and what you need to get back to doing.
What May Be Causing Your Elbow Pain?
Your elbow works closely with the muscles of your forearm, wrist, and hand. Several muscles involved in gripping and moving your wrist attach around the elbow. This is one reason activities involving repeated gripping, lifting, throwing, or hand movements can contribute to elbow symptoms.
Elbow pain may develop gradually or follow an injury. Common problems include:
- Tennis elbow
- Golfer’s elbow
- Muscle or tendon injuries
- Elbow sprains
- Joint irritation or stiffness
- Arthritis-related changes
- Bursitis
- Nerve irritation
- Sports-related injuries
- Elbow pain following surgery or an injury
Tendon-related elbow pain is especially common with activities that repeatedly load the muscles of the forearm. Symptoms may become noticeable during work, sports, exercise, or even everyday gripping and lifting.
Pain may occur on the inside or outside of the elbow, around the back of the joint, or in nearby areas of the arm. Some problems may also cause weakness, stiffness, numbness, or tingling.
When Gripping and Lifting Become Difficult
Elbow problems often become most noticeable when you use your hand and arm together.
At Meier & Marsh Physical Therapy, we want to know exactly what you are having trouble doing. Understanding those activities helps us identify the demands your elbow needs to handle and gives your treatment a clear purpose.
You may have trouble:
- Gripping or carrying objects
- Opening jars or turning doorknobs
- Using tools
- Typing or performing repetitive work
- Lifting weights
- Playing tennis, golf, baseball, or other sports
- Performing household or yard work
- Bending or straightening your elbow normally
Finding Out Why Gripping, Lifting, or Moving Your Elbow Hurts
The location of your elbow pain provides useful information, but it does not tell the whole story.
Your physical therapist will ask how your symptoms began, which movements aggravate them, and what activities have become difficult. Your evaluation may include:
- Elbow movement and joint mobility
- Grip and arm strength
- Wrist and forearm movement
- Shoulder movement and strength when relevant
- Special tests based on your symptoms
- Lifting, gripping, throwing, or other activities related to your goals
If you have numbness, tingling, or other nerve-related symptoms, additional testing may help determine whether a nerve around the elbow or another area is contributing.
These findings help your physical therapist determine what is limiting your arm and prescribe the right treatment based on your specific problem.
Treatment That Matches How You Use Your Arm
Elbow treatment should reflect both your evaluation and the activities you need to perform.
For tendon-related problems, treatment may involve gradually increasing how much force the muscles and tendons can tolerate. Other elbow conditions may require a greater focus on mobility, strength, movement, or nerve-related symptoms.
Your physical therapist monitors your symptoms, strength, movement, and function as you improve. Treatment progresses based on how you respond and what you need your arm to do.
Depending on your problem, treatment may include:
- Mobility exercises to improve elbow, wrist, or forearm movement
- Targeted strengthening for the forearm, elbow, shoulder, or surrounding muscles
- Manual therapy to improve joint or soft tissue mobility when appropriate
- Progressive loading exercises to build the ability of muscles and tendons to handle activity
- Movement retraining for lifting, gripping, throwing, work, or sports
- Education about your problem and appropriate activity
- Home exercises prescribed according to your evaluation and response
Preparing Your Elbow for Work, Exercise, and Sports
Reducing symptoms is important, but your elbow also needs to tolerate the demands you place on it.
Someone who works with tools may need to rebuild grip strength and tolerance for repeated arm movements. A weightlifter may need to gradually return to pulling, pressing, or gripping exercises. An athlete may need more advanced strengthening and training for throwing or racquet sports.
For other patients, success may mean comfortably carrying groceries, gardening, or picking up a child or grandchild.
Our physical therapists progress treatment toward the activities that matter to you.
Understand Your Problem and Make Progress
At Meier & Marsh Physical Therapy, we do not assume every painful elbow needs the same exercises. Our physical therapists use clinical expertise, special tests, and detailed assessment to determine what is limiting you and prescribe the right treatment.
We explain what we find and why specific exercises or treatments are recommended. As your symptoms and abilities change, your treatment changes with you.
You will have a team that listens to your concerns, answers your questions, and stays focused on the activities you want to regain. Our goal is to help you make measurable progress and get back to using your arm normally.
Frequently Asked Questions
Take the Next Step Toward Elbow Pain Relief
Elbow pain can interfere with work, exercise, sports, and simple tasks you perform every day. Finding out what is contributing to your problem is the first step toward treating it effectively.
Contact Meier & Marsh Physical Therapy today to schedule an evaluation for elbow pain relief in West Valley City, Tooele in Northpointe, Tooele on Main Street or Grantsville, UT. Our physical therapists can assess what is limiting you, prescribe the right treatment, and help you improve the way you move and get back to normal.
Your Next Steps…
- Request An Appointment
- Receive A Custom Treatment Plan
- Work Hard and Progress In Your Recovery
- Recover & Enjoy Life Pain-Free
