There are a number of causes of elbow pain, including ligament sprain, bursitis, bone injury or a nerve irritation local to the elbow or referred from the neck, upper back or shoulder.

Pain felt along the outer aspect of the elbow or forearm is known as extensor tendinopathy, or more commonly referred to as tennis elbow. Pain experienced on the inner aspect of the elbow or forearm is typically known as flexor tendinopathy or golfer’s elbow.

There are a number of treatment options for elbow injuries and pain, including stretching the muscle or conditioning the muscle around the scar tissue to increase blood flow to the area to help heal.

Surgery can be an option for elbow injuries, however, it’s usually reserved for patients who have undergone other treatments and still remain symptomatic beyond six months. Surgery involves excising the scar tissue around the area that’s painful and allowing blood flow to come in to heal this process.

A physiotherapist can perform an assessment to determine an appropriate treatment plan to help you reduce pain and regain your normal strength and function.