Three issues can cause elbow pain when you’re lifting weights

Spending more time at home can be a positive thing. It can allow you to spend more time with your loved ones. You might have time for that fun hobby you’ve always wanted to try. Even better, you may have the opportunity to improve your physical fitness, and this means doing more weightlifting for many people. 

One snag that can make it harder to maintain or improve your fitness is elbow pain when you’re lifting. Many issues can be causing your elbow pain when lifting, but there are three in particular that are particularly likely to cause pain in this joint during your weightlifting. 

These three conditions could be causing your elbow pain when lifting

Weightlifting is one of the most popular forms of physical activity. Researchers estimate that about 9% of Americans over 15 do this activity on an average day. However, your ability to lift weights can be seriously reduced if you experience elbow pain when lifting. 

Here are three issues that could be the source of your pain during this activity: 

1. Tennis elbow — In spite of its name, tennis isn’t the only activity that can cause this issue. Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis, can affect anyone who performs repetitive elbow movements regularly. It typically involves pain on the outside of the elbow during movement, and it’s estimated that up to 3% of Americans develop tennis elbow every year. 

2. Golfer’s elbow — This issue is also known as medial epicondylitis. Research shows that golfer’s elbow accounts for up to 20% of all epicondylitis cases. Golfer’s elbow causes pain on the inside of the elbow. It can easily be caused by repetitive elbow movements during common weightlifting exercises like biceps curls. Lifting too much weight can also cause this elbow injury.

3. Elbow osteoarthritis — Osteoarthritis occurs more commonly in weight-bearing joints like the hips or knees. However, it can also occur in the elbow, especially in people who do elbow-specific movements frequently at work or while working out. Additionally, elbow osteoarthritis is more likely to develop in people who have injured their elbow. 

Treat elbow pain when lifting with help from Armor Physical Therapy

Need help treating elbow pain when lifting weights? Our Armor Physical Therapy team is primed to help you. We offer free screenings designed to zero in on the specific cause of your elbow pain. Our therapy specialists are also highly experienced at building personalized treatment plans for a variety of elbow issues. 

Need to do your therapy from home? No problem! Armor Physical Therapy is currently offering virtual care and at-home therapy. No doctor’s referral necessary. 

Take the next step to start getting our help with your elbow pain. Contact us today for more information about our therapy services or to schedule an initial appointment.