Pain on the inside of your elbow
Pain on the inside of the elbow can come from several different structures. A common cause is golfer's elbow, also called flexor-pronator tendinopathy, which often causes tenderness around the inner elbow and pain with gripping or resisted wrist movements. Other possibilities include irritation of the ulnar collateral ligament, the ulnar nerve, or pain referred from elsewhere in the arm or spine.
Inner elbow pain
Do you ever ask yourself: why does the inside of my elbow hurt? Why does my elbow hurt when I grip? Or why does golfing cause me elbow pain? If you answered yes to any of these questions, this blog may be for you!
What is causing my elbow pain?
Pain on the inside of your elbow and can be due to several different reasons. Some of the most common sources include:
Flexor/pronator tendinopathy (more commonly referred as Golfer’s elbow)
Medial collateral ligament sprain (or MCL sprain)
Referral pain from the neck, mid-back or shoulder (this means treating these areas can help relieve symptoms at the elbow!)
Anatomy
For those who like to learn about the human body, I’ll give you a quick breakdown of the structures that make up the inside of our elbow!
Bones: Our elbow joint is made up of 3 bones, our humerus, ulna, and radius. The bony protrusion you feel on the inside of the elbow is the medial epicondyle.
Muscles: Several forearm muscles originate around the medial epicondyle, including the pronator teres and wrist flexor muscles. These muscles help with gripping, wrist movement and turning the forearm.
Ligaments: The medial collateral ligament (also called the ulnar collateral ligament) attaches from the humerus to the ulna bone. These ligaments help stabilize the elbow.
Nerve: Our ulnar nerve also travels along the inside of our elbow. Fun fact, this nerve is often what we hit when we hit our “funny bone”!
Golfer’s Elbow
Golfer’s elbow is due to the overuse of the muscle that attaches to the medial epicondyle. This overuse causes the tendon (the structure that attaches muscle to bone) to become inflamed and irritated. It is important to note golfer’s elbow is caused by overuse and can arise from many different activities beyond golf.
Other Symptoms
Pain on the inside of the elbow that may radiate up or down the arm
Tenderness over the inside of the elbow
Pain with wrist movements and gripping
Weakness during gripping
Numbness and tingling that radiate into the fingers
What can I do for my medial elbow pain?
Your physiotherapist can help work with you to determine the best management strategy. General treatment can include:
Rest
Bracing/support
Strengthening exercises
Posture
To help determine the cause and treatment for your elbow pain, come see one of our physiotherapists here at Break Free Physiotherapy. Book now!
Additional Resources
For more information about common elbow conditions and how physiotherapy can help, visit our Elbow & Wrist Pain Physiotherapy page.
Check out our Blog on Bicep Tendinopathies to learn more about what a tendinopathy is!
Author
Corey Kim, PT, MPT, Cert. MDT, CGIMS
Registered physiotherapist at Break Free Physiotherapy and Wellness in London, Ontario. Corey is McKenzie Method (MDT) certified and treats elbow, wrist and grip-related injuries.
About Corey: https://www.breakfreephysiotherapy.ca/corey-kim-physiotherapist-london-ontario
Book with Corey: https://breakfreephysio.janeapp.com/#/staff_member/2
