Your elbow may hurt when you rotate your arm due to a condition like tennis elbow, which is also known as lateral epicondylitis. This condition occurs when the tendons that connect muscle to bone on the outer part of your elbow become swollen or torn.
Understanding Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis)
Tennis elbow isn't just for tennis players; it can affect anyone who uses their elbow muscles repeatedly. Here's a breakdown of what happens:
- Tendon Irritation: The tendons on the outer side of your elbow are put under a lot of stress. When they are overused or strained, they can become inflamed or tear.
- Weakened Connection: This irritation weakens the elbow connection and makes the area more susceptible to pain, especially during movements like lifting, gripping, or twisting.
- Painful Rotation: Rotating your arm involves the muscles and tendons around the elbow. If these tendons are compromised due to tennis elbow, this motion can cause pain.
How Rotation Triggers Pain
When you rotate your arm, several things can happen that trigger pain if you have tennis elbow:
- Muscle Activation: Rotating your arm activates muscles that attach to the outer elbow tendons. This pulling force can aggravate the already inflamed tendons.
- Joint Movement: The rotation involves movement in the elbow joint, which can also cause pain due to the inflamed structures around the elbow.
- Pressure on Tendons: Specific arm rotations can put more pressure on the affected tendons, exacerbating the pain.
Other Possible Causes (Not Mentioned in the Reference)
While tennis elbow is a common culprit, other issues could also cause elbow pain during rotation:
- Osteoarthritis: Wear and tear of the elbow joint can cause pain, especially during movement.
- Bursitis: Inflammation of the fluid-filled sacs (bursae) around the elbow.
- Nerve Entrapment: A pinched nerve around the elbow can also cause pain, which can sometimes worsen with certain movements.
What To Do
Here are a few steps you can take if you experience elbow pain during rotation:
- Rest: Avoid activities that worsen your pain.
- Ice: Apply ice packs to reduce inflammation.
- Pain Relievers: Over-the-counter pain relievers might offer temporary relief.
- See a Doctor: If your pain persists, it is important to seek medical attention for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.
In summary, while several factors may cause pain when rotating your elbow, tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) is a common reason, where the tendons that attach muscles to bone on the outside of the elbow swell or tear due to overuse, leading to pain when using muscles to lift, grip, or twist.
