Elbow pain doesn't mean you stop lifting or training. Our fellowship-trained Doctors of PT diagnose the root cause — tennis elbow, golfer's elbow, or nerve compression — and build a plan to get you back to full activity.
Common Diagnoses
Elbow pain isn't just one thing. Click each section below to learn about the three most common causes we see in lifters and athletes — and what to do about each one.
Lateral epicondylalgia (commonly called tennis elbow) is a tendinopathy of the wrist extensor tendons where they attach to the outside of the elbow. It's the most common cause of elbow pain in athletes who perform repetitive gripping, lifting, or racquet sports.
Lateral epicondylalgia is caused by repeatedly using your wrist and forearm muscles more than they're conditioned to handle — especially gripping, lifting, or racquet movements. Common contributing factors include:
Tendons heal with progressive loading, not rest. We use eccentric wrist exercises and graded exposure to build tendon capacity while modifying your training to stay within tolerance. Most athletes can continue lifting with intelligent load management.
Medial epicondylalgia (golfer's elbow) is a tendinopathy of the wrist flexor and pronator tendons where they attach to the inside of the elbow. It's less common than lateral epicondylalgia but frequently seen in overhead athletes, throwers, and climbers.
Medial epicondylalgia develops when the flexor-pronator tendons are repeatedly loaded beyond their capacity. Contributing factors include:
We use progressive loading exercises that build tendon strength — the controlled, slow movements that best help tendons rebuild — while addressing shoulder and scapular weaknesses that contribute to elbow overload. Most athletes can stay training with modifications.
Cubital tunnel syndrome is compression or irritation of the ulnar nerve as it passes through the cubital tunnel (the groove on the inside of the elbow). It's the second most common nerve compression syndrome after carpal tunnel and causes numbness in the ring and pinky fingers.
Cubital tunnel syndrome occurs when the ulnar nerve is compressed, stretched, or irritated. Common causes include:
We use nerve gliding exercises to improve ulnar nerve mobility and reduce irritation. We also address posture, workstation setup, and sleeping positions to minimize nerve compression. Most cases resolve with conservative treatment, though severe cases may require surgical consultation.
Evidence-Based Resources
Lateral elbow pain doesn't mean you stop training. A Doctor of PT breaks down the root causes and gives you 3 evidence-backed exercises to keep lifting.
Medial elbow pain is common in climbers and overhead athletes. Here's how to keep training while rehabbing the flexor-pronator tendons.
Book a free 15-minute phone call with a Doctor of PT. We'll figure out what's going on and build a plan to get you back to training.