Have you ever stopped to consider how often you use your elbow? Most of us would probably say no, but this can change quickly when you feel pain when extending your elbow. 

It’s most common for people to feel pain on the outside of their dominant elbow; research shows that up to 7 in every 1,000 Americans experiences this type of pain annually. A physical therapy specialist can help you find out the cause of the pain you feel when extending your elbow. They can also create a treatment plan to help reduce your elbow pain. 

What’s causing your elbow pain?

Most of us can’t even begin to guess why we feel pain when extending our elbow. But physical therapists are trained to treat the human musculoskeletal system, which includes the elbows. This training gives them the knowledge to diagnose the source of your elbow pain. A few of the issues that your therapist could pinpoint as the cause of your elbow pain include: 

1. Tennis elbow
2. Golfer’s elbow
3. Cubital tunnel syndrome
4. Radial tunnel syndrome
5. Olecranon bursitis
6. Elbow osteoarthritis

Treatments physical therapists can use for pain when bending the elbow

There are a variety of treatment techniques a physical therapist can use for elbow pain. Typically, your therapist will combine several techniques into a therapy plan that’s unique to your needs. Some of the therapy methods your plan may include are: 

• Trigger point release therapy that focuses on breaking down knots in soft tissue around the elbow. 

• Joint mobilization sessions intended to improve elbow mobility and range of motion. 

• Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) designed to break up scar tissue left behind by previous injuries. 

• Movement pattern reeducation that can help your brain and muscles learn better ways to move your elbow. 

Franklin Rehabilitation offers treatment for elbow pain

Fed up with feeling pain when extending your elbow? Our team at Franklin Rehab is primed to help you treat your nagging elbow pain. We offer free screenings that can reveal the root cause of your pain. Furthermore, our physical therapists excel at building individualized therapy plans, and our plans are designed to offer benefits like: 

• Decreased pain.
• Increased joint range of motion.
• Improved ability to do normal daily activities.
• Reduced risk of developing future elbow injuries. 

Contact our team today for more information about our elbow pain treatment services or to schedule an initial appointment.