Elbows pain can affect your ability to lift, grip, or even rest your arm. It often stems from repetitive motion, poor mechanics, or stress on tendons and joints.

Pain in the elbow can hinder common activities associated with the arm, such as lifting, gripping, writing, or even resting the arm. Small in size, the elbow joint serves an important function with regards to movement, and discomfort or pain can make simple tasks very difficult to accomplish. Repetitive motion injuries, such as typing, lifting, playing tennis or golf, or completing manual labor jobs are common origins of elbow ailments. Common repetitive motion injuries include tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) and golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylitis), both of which occur with irritation, or inflammation, of the tendons. Poor posture and misalignment in the shoulders, neck, or wrists can put increased stresses on the elbow. It is common for pain to occur with gradual overuse rather than from a single or specific traumatic event. There may be other underlying problems to address as well, such as nerve compression, (for example cubital tunnel syndrome), tight musculature in the forearms, or weakness in shoulder stabilization strength. It is also possible that the elbow is being stressed due to other weaknesses elsewhere in the kinetic chain. If left untreated, elbows pain or dysfunction can lead to decreased grip strength, numbness or tingling in the fingers and poor posture and overall function of the arm.