Symptoms and evaluation
Pain may occur on the inside, outside, front or back of the elbow and can be associated with gripping, lifting, throwing, stiffness, clicking, instability, numbness or weakness. Examination helps distinguish tendon problems from ligament, nerve, joint and fracture-related conditions.
Treatment options
Treatment depends on the diagnosis and can include activity modification, therapy, bracing, medication when appropriate and selected injections. Surgery may be considered for unstable injuries, significant tendon or ligament tears, nerve compression, fractures or persistent structural problems that have not improved with appropriate nonsurgical care.
Recovery and return to activity
Recovery depends on the specific diagnosis. Rehabilitation may focus on restoring motion first and then progressively rebuilding strength and load tolerance while protecting repaired structures when surgery is performed.
When to seek evaluation
Persistent pain, numbness, weakness, loss of motion, deformity or symptoms that interfere with sleep, work or daily activities are reasonable reasons to seek an orthopedic evaluation. Urgent injuries with severe deformity, open wounds or compromised circulation require prompt medical attention.
Common questions
Elbow pain is not a single diagnosis. The location of pain, mechanism of injury, stability, nerve symptoms and activities that reproduce symptoms help determine the source.
Specialized upper-extremity care
Dr. Devin W. Collins is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with fellowship training in hand, upper-extremity and microvascular surgery. Treatment recommendations are individualized to the diagnosis, severity, goals and needs of each patient.