Elbow Pain From Lifting: Steps to Relieve Pain

Elbow pain from lifting is a common symptom among people who lift weights, but it can also occur with other kinds of lifting—whether they're picking up babies or small children or carrying grocery bags. Most of the time, conservative treatments can relieve elbow pain. However, elbow pain after lifting can also be a sign of a serious injury, such as a tendon rupture (tear).

Elbow Pain From Lifting: What's Considered Minor?

Lifting puts a lot of pressure on the tendons that connect your wrist and upper arm to the bones in your elbow joint. Minor elbow pain can occur from temporary inflammation in any of these structures after you lift.

For example, tendonitis occurs when a tendon (connecting muscle to bone) becomes inflamed—often from overuse or lifting an object that is too heavy. Tendonitis ranges from mild to severe. Mild tendonitis typically causes pain while you're performing the activity (such as lifting) and improves with rest.

Common forms of tendonitis are tennis elbow—tendonitis on the outside of your elbow—and golfer's elbow—tendonitis on the inside of the elbow. You can also have biceps tendonitis at the front of your elbow.

Home to Manage Elbow Pain at Home After Lifting

Home remedies can help reduce elbow pain after lifting. These include:

• Ice: Apply ice to the affected area for up to 20 minutes, several times daily, to help decrease your elbow pain.
• Rest: Avoid lifting heavy objects as much as possible when you have pain.
• Wear a brace: If the pain is at the tendons on the inside or outside of your elbow, try wearing a wrist brace to limit the use of your wrist muscles that connect to this area.
  

Gently stretching your wrist flexors and extensors (which are connected to your elbow) can help reduce elbow pain after lifting. Perform these stretches several times daily, even after your symptoms have resolved.

1. Hold your arm out in front of you with your palm down. Keep your elbow straight.
2. Bend your wrist down so that your fingers are pointing toward the ground.
3. With your other hand, gently pull your wrist further down until you feel a stretch along the back of your forearm.
4. Hold this position for 15 seconds and repeat five times.
5. Next, bend your wrist upward so that your fingers are pointing toward the ceiling.
6. Using your other hand, gently pull your hand further backward until you feel a stretch along the front of your forearm.
7. Hold for 15 seconds and repeat five times.

Over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are also helpful for managing elbow pain from lifting. Examples include:

• Advil/Motrin (ibuprofen)
• Aleve (naproxen)
• Bayer (aspirin)

Tylenol (acetaminophen) can also help reduce elbow pain.

How Long Does Elbow Pain Take to Heal?

Mild cases can improve after a few days of home remedies, whereas more significant elbow pain can take several weeks, months, or even a year. If home remedies don't work, you might need physical therapy. A physical therapist (PT) can apply a variety of modalities and treatments to help reduce pain and inflammation from elbow injuries.

The therapist can also give you specific exercises to help strengthen any weak muscles and stretch tight muscles that might contribute to your condition. In addition, your therapist can help you modify your lifting technique (if necessary) to help prevent further injury.

Moderate to Severe Elbow Pain From Lifting

Symptoms and Signs

In addition to sharp, severe pain, serious elbow injuries from lifting have distinct symptoms, including:

• Bruising
• Swelling
• Sudden elbow weakness

A biceps tendon rupture is a rare but serious elbow injury that usually occurs from lifting. In addition to other visible signs of injury, you'll likely see a "bulge" at the top of your upper arm when this injury occurs—this is because the muscle bunches up because it is no longer attached at the elbow.

If you tear an elbow ligament or tendon while lifting, you might hear an audible "popping" sound.

Treatment at a Glance

Treatment for conditions that cause severe elbow pain requires the expertise of an orthopedic surgeon. These physicians specialize in diagnosing and treating injuries that affect the musculoskeletal system.

Imaging techniques such as X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or computed tomography (CT) scans are often used to determine the extent of elbow damage.

People with tendon or ligament tears in the elbow may need surgery, particularly if they want to regain full range of motion and strength in their arm. After surgery, physical therapy will help you regain your function.

Summary

Elbow pain from lifting can occur from weight training or repetitive daily tasks or job duties such as lifting small children or heavy objects. Pain can occur at the sides or the front of the elbow. Healing times vary widely depending on the underlying cause of your pain. You can treat minor injuries at home with ice, rest, and medications.

More severe causes of elbow pain from lifting might require physical therapy or even surgery. See a healthcare provider if your elbow pain doesn't improve with home remedies. If it occurred after a traumatic incident—such as a fall—seek immediate medical attention to rule out a more severe injury, such as a broken bone.