What’s Causing My Elbow and Wrist Pain — And How Can Physical Therapy Help?
Remember the last time you accidentally slammed your funny bone? That sharp, radiating pain is deeply unpleasant — fortunately, it usually only lasts a few moments. But what happens when that pain lingers? If you’re dealing with pain in your elbow, forearm, or wrist, Kleinpeter Physical Therapy is here to help!
Wrist and elbow pain can have several potential causes. Three major nerves run through the arm and can become entrapped, leading to numbness, tingling, and pain. You can also injure the muscles, tendons, or ligaments in the elbow and wrist joints, which can cause mobility restrictions and pain in the impacted area.
Our team of physical therapists will help you get to the bottom of your elbow pain — and we’ll help you find a way to resolve that pain for good. Call us to schedule an appointment and get started today!
A Closer Look at the Causes of Wrist and Elbow Pain
When you come in for your appointment, the first thing we’ll do is carefully review your symptoms and run a few simple movement screens to help pinpoint the cause of your pain.
Overuse injuries are one of the more common causes of wrist and elbow pain. You’ve probably heard of conditions such as tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow — both are examples of overuse injuries. They stem from repetitive movements or awkward postures that strain the joint’s soft tissue, leading to a gradual onset of symptoms.
You can also suffer acute injuries, particularly in the wrist. These injuries happen suddenly rather than over time. Wrist sprains, in which the ligaments in the wrist suffer damage, are among the most common. You can also fracture the bones in your wrist and elbow, which will typically require medical intervention.
Nerve disorders are another common source of discomfort in the elbow, forearm, and wrist. They occur when one of the nerves running through the arm becomes entrapped, leading to pain, numbness or tingling, and mobility restrictions. The location of your symptoms can let you know which nerve is affected:
affects the median nerve and can become trapped in a structure in your wrist (the carpal tunnel). You’ll typically experience symptoms in your wrist and hand.
affects the ulnar nerve, which passes through a narrow structure in your elbow (the cubital tunnel). If the nerve becomes entrapped in the cubital tunnel, it can cause symptoms in your elbow and hand.
Finally, arthritis can affect your elbows and wrists, leading to pain and restricted range of motion.
What Physical Therapy Can Do to Help Ease Your Wrist and Elbow Pain
Once our therapist has determined the source of your pain, we’ll develop a customized treatment program to help you find relief. The good news is that physical therapy alone can resolve most common sources of wrist and elbow pain. Here are a few of the techniques we might incorporate into your program:
Manual therapy techniques help reduce pain and restore mobility restrictions. We might guide the joint through its current range of motion, manipulate your soft tissue, or try other techniques.
We’ll create a targeted, progressive exercise program to ease your symptoms. We’ll start with gentle stretches and mobility work, then move on to strengthening exercises to help support and stabilize the impacted joint.
Some conditions might benefit from a brace or splint, which temporarily immobilizes the joint as you work on treatment. We’ll let you know if it’s a good choice and help you find the right device to suit your needs.
We’ll let you know what you can do to prevent future injuries. We might show you ergonomic adjustments to reduce the impact of repetitive movements, postural corrections to minimize strain on your wrist or elbow, or other strategies.
Let’s Get to the Root of Your Wrist or Elbow Pain!
Pain in the wrist or elbow can seriously impact your quality of life, making it difficult to perform day-to-day movements like brushing your teeth, typing on a computer, or preparing a meal. The team at Kleinpeter Physical Therapy will help you get to the bottom of your pain to find lasting relief.
Bounce Back Strong with Physical Therapy
Don’t let pain dictate your life’s story. Reach out to Kleinpeter Physical Therapy to learn how physical therapy can be the first step towards a pain-free life!
Kayaking & Paddleboarding with a Healthy Twist
Kayaking and paddleboarding are excellent ways to enjoy the outdoors while improving your strength, endurance, and balance. Whether you’re exploring a quiet lake or cruising down a river, using proper technique helps you get the most out of every adventure while protecting your body from unnecessary strain.
These popular water sports are full-body activities that challenge your muscles and cardiovascular system. By paying attention to posture and movement, you can reduce your risk of shoulder, neck, and back discomfort while paddling longer and more efficiently.
Paddle Smarter, Feel Better
Good technique doesn’t just improve performance—it helps distribute the workload throughout your entire body, reducing stress on individual muscles and joints while making every stroke more effective.
Practice Mindful Paddling
Keep a straight back, engage your core, and use proper paddling mechanics. Let your legs and torso help generate power to reduce strain on your shoulders and lower back.
Use Your Whole Body
Think beyond your arms. Involve your legs, hips, core, and back with every stroke for smoother movement, better balance, and improved endurance on the water.
Protect Against Injury
Balanced movement helps prevent muscle imbalances and overuse injuries, allowing you to enjoy longer paddling sessions with greater comfort and confidence.
Direct Access
Did You Know You Have Direct Access To Physical Therapy?
Whether you want to come in for a check-up, suffered a recent injury, or want to improve your health, a physician referral is not needed. In the state of Louisiana, you have direct access to physical therapy!
You have the power to choose. Just as you can fill a prescription for medication at a pharmacy of your choice, you can choose where to receive physical therapy as well.
Taking care of yourself means taking charge of your healthcare, so remember that regardless of which physician you see, you have a choice when it comes to physical therapy.
Minor aches and pains are warning signals from your body to let you know something is not working properly. Don’t put off the pain until it’s too late. Come in today for a “Tune-Up.”
Ingredients
- 1 pound strawberries, washed and stems removed
- 1 large ripe banana
- 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
- 1/2 cup milk
- Sugar to taste (optional)
Directions
- Add the strawberries, banana, milk, and vanilla yogurt to a blender or food processor.
- Blend until completely smooth.
- Taste and add sugar if desired depending on fruit sweetness.
- Pour mixture into popsicle molds or paper cups.
- Insert popsicle sticks or handles.
- Freeze until completely firm, preferably overnight.
- Enjoy your refreshing homemade popsicles the next day!
Exercise of the Month
MEDIAN NERVE GLIDE
Stand tall with your arm extended in front of you at shoulder height, palm facing up. Use your opposite hand to gently grasp your thumb. Slowly extend your wrist and fingers back. Return to the starting position with control. Perform the motion gently and smoothly.
3 Sets, 10 Reps (each arm).
Patient Success Story
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Our purpose at Kleinpeter Physical Therapy is to leave a greater impact on the community around us. In order to achieve our goal we want to change as many lives as possible as we become a beacon of positivity in our community.
