When Your Elbow Won't Quit Hurting: A Physical Therapist's Take

I've been treating patients at Spectrum Therapeutics for eight years now, and if I had a dollar for every time someone walked in saying "I don't know why my elbow hurts so much," I could probably retire early. Last week alone, I saw three different people with elbow pain – a weekend tennis player, a graphic designer, and a construction worker. All completely different lives, but the same frustrated look on their faces.

The thing about elbow pain is that it sneaks up on you. One day you're fine, the next day reaching for your morning coffee feels like someone's jabbing a knife into your arm. And somehow, everyone assumes it'll just go away on its own. Spoiler alert: it usually doesn't.

It's Not Always About Sports

Sure, we call it "tennis elbow," but honestly, most of my tennis elbow patients have never held a racket in their lives. Sarah, one of my regulars, developed it from spending 10-hour days at her computer during the pandemic. Her pain started on the outside of her elbow – that's lateral epicondylitis if you want to get technical – and spread down her forearm whenever she tried to grip anything.

Then there's "golfer's elbow," which affects the inside part of your elbow. I treated a chef last month who got it from constantly whisking and chopping, not from perfecting his swing at the country club. The repetitive gripping motions in his kitchen did him in.

What really gets me is when people ignore the early warning signs. That slight ache after typing all day? The soreness after painting your fence? Your body is trying to tell you something. Listen to it before it starts screaming.

What Actually Happens During Treatment

People always ask me what physical therapy for elbow pain actually involves. It's not some mysterious process – though I'll admit, some of my techniques might look a little strange at first.

When you come in, I spend a solid 20 minutes just talking and watching how you move. Where exactly does it hurt? When did it start? Show me how you hold your tennis racket, or sit at your desk, or lift that box at work. These details matter more than you'd think.

The hands-on part comes next. I'll work on the tight spots in your forearm muscles, mobilize your elbow joint, and probably spend time on areas you didn't even know were connected – like your shoulder and neck. Everything's linked together, and sometimes the real problem isn't where you feel the pain.

Then we get you moving. I'm talking specific exercises, not just generic stretches you found on YouTube. Eccentric strengthening (basically controlled muscle lengthening) works incredibly well for tendon issues. I'll teach you exactly how to do these at home because, let's be honest, you'll need to keep up with them between visits.

For the stubborn cases – and there are always a few – we might use shockwave therapy. It sounds intense, but it's actually just focused sound waves that help jumpstart your body's healing response. Most people find it tolerable, though a few have compared it to being repeatedly flicked by a rubber band.

Why I Love What I Do

Three months ago, Mike came in barely able to shake hands because of his tennis elbow. He's a contractor, so not being able to grip tools meant not being able to work. We spent six weeks rebuilding the strength in his forearm and teaching him how to modify his technique. Last week, he brought me a photo of the deck he just finished building.

That's why I became a physical therapist. Not for the glamorous moments – trust me, there aren't many – but for the Tuesday afternoon when someone realizes they can pick up their grandkid without wincing.

Some Straight Talk

Physical therapy isn't magic. You'll have homework. You might feel worse before you feel better. And if you don't address the underlying cause – whether that's your desk setup, your tennis technique, or your habit of lifting heavy boxes with straight arms – the pain will probably come back.

But here's what I can promise: we'll figure out what's actually causing your pain, not just mask the symptoms. We'll give you tools to prevent it from happening again. And we'll work at your pace, not some predetermined timeline that ignores your actual life.

Ready to Stop Hurting?

If your elbow pain is interfering with work, sports, or just normal daily activities, don't wait for it to magically disappear. I've never met an elbow problem that got better from being ignored.

Call us at (973) 689-7123 or book online at our website. Fair warning: I'll probably ask you a lot of questions about your daily routine during that first visit. But that's how we figure out how to actually fix the problem, not just treat it temporarily.

Your elbow – and your quality of life – will thank you for it.