Elbow Physical Therapy Is An Effective Form Of Elbow Treatment
If you have experienced an elbow injury, you know how painful it can be. Whether you have had tennis elbow, a dislocation injury, golfer’s elbow, or a blunt force injury to the joint, the pain radiating down toward your wrist can prevent you from doing such simple tasks as opening a door or raising a glass of water to your mouth.
Fortunately, elbow treatment options such as elbow physical therapy can have you back to normal quickly and help to prevent further injury.
Types of Elbow Injuries
Elbow injuries are common, especially among athletes, and can be caused by sudden trauma or repetitive use. Sudden injuries include pulled muscles, breaks, torn ligaments, and dislocations.
Overuse injuries such as tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, and “Little Leaguer’s Elbow” are among the most frequently seen elbow problems. In all cases, elbow treatment is aimed at first healing the injury and relieving the pain, then rehabilitating the joint and strengthening it to prevent further injury from occurring.
Symptoms of Elbow Injuries
Elbow injuries can exhibit symptoms such as pain in or around the joint, pain which radiates downward toward the wrist, swelling, numbness, and tingling. Left untreated, symptoms may worsen and can cause complications, especially if the blood vessels or nerves have been damaged. Elbow treatment, such as elbow physical therapy, can assist in healing injuries, rehabilitating the joint, and returning full use and range of motion to the elbow.
Elbow Treatment Options
There are a variety of elbow treatment options, depending on the nature of the injury. With sudden injuries caused by trauma to the joint, you will need to seek immediate medical attention. Whether medication, splinting, or surgery is required depends on the nature and extent of the injury.
With overuse injuries, elbow treatment can be undertaken at home, to an extent. You may discontinue the activity which is causing the pain and rest the elbow, using ice packs and NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as ibuprofen to reduce swelling and relieve pain. You may want to see your doctor to rule out any more serious injury which could be causing the elbow pain.
Once your elbow is beginning to feel better, you will want to get started on an elbow treatment program such as a regimen of exercise and physical therapy in order to restore full range of motion to the joint, strengthen the muscles around the elbow, and learn to prevent re-injury of your elbow in the future.
Benefits of Elbow Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is often recommended for elbow treatment after an injury in combination with an exercise program. Physical therapy elbow treatment helps to relieve pain and promote healing in the damaged tissue.
Your physical therapist may use ultrasound to gently warm the deep tissue of the elbow, increasing blood flow to the area and promoting faster healing. Electrical stimulation may also be used to provide relief from pain, and some clinics also use acupuncture as part of a physical therapy program.
Massage and manipulation are also used to effectively treat elbow pain and speed the healing process, returning you to normal activity as quickly as possible.