Elbow pain: 5 tips from the chiropractor to get better

The elbow is a key area of ​​the body. Comprised of three joints (the humerularic joint, the humero-radial joint and the proximal radioulnar joint) and the "hinge" between the arm and the forearm (especially between 3 bones: the humerus, the radius and the ulna), it is indispensable in everyday life since it is involved in most of our actions.

Pour yourself a glass of water, unscrew the cap of a bottle, knit, close the car door, eat, manipulate the mouse of the computer, brush your hair ... The elbow allows us mainly to perform four movements: bring the forearm towards the center line of the body, move the forearm outward, turn the palm of the hand up and turn the palm of the hand down.

Elbow pain: what if it was tendinitis?

A elbow pain usually has a mechanical origin. "In the majority of cases, tendinopathy is present, that is to say, tendon inflammation related to excessive stress on the joint: concretely, tendinopathy (or tendonitis) occurs when we have "forced" on his elbow "explains Philippe Fleuriau, chiropractor.

• The most common situation is lateral epicondylitis or tennis elbow.

"It's the tendinitis of the tennis player that makes a setback," says Philippe Fleuriau. But tennis-elbow is not reserved for sportsmen: it can also concern knitting enthusiasts (who practice several hours a day), do-it-yourselfers (who screw and unscrew), building workers (who handle the trowel) or addicted to bodybuilding (who do flexions of the forearm with dumbbells).

"The triggering movement is a clockwise rotation of the wrist: this contracts the muscles of the forearm and this affects the elbow, which can cause tendinopathy if the gesture is excessively repeated by "forcing" ". The pain is acute or dull, located at a specific "point": a small bony relief on the outer side of the elbow - so-calledepicondyle.

• Another possibility, nevertheless rarer: the epitrochleitis or Golf elbow.

"We are typically on the swinging golfer's wound," says Philippe Fleuriau, "the movement of the wrist flexing towards the palm, when it is repeated and forced, can cause inflammation of the elbow tendons, which causes pain."

In addition to golfers, the golf-elbow can also affect building workers (who pose bricks), do-it-yourselfers (who play hammer) and (more rarely) people who write on the computer all day long. The pain, acute or dull, is felt on the inner side of the elbow and forearm; it gets worse when you flex your palm to your wrist.

"Elbow pain can also be caused by pain in the wrist or shoulder that will" radiate "to the elbow, adds Philippe Fleuriau.Do not forget the falls (I fall, I catch up on hands, palms open: the pain goes up to the elbow) and fractures (which are manifested by swelling of the area, pain in bending and / or extension and which are related to a violent shock). "

My elbow hurts: 5 tips from the chiropractor

• At home, do not hesitate to massage (gently!) The area with a heated balm, to buy in pharmacies. You can also mix 4 drops of sweet-scented essential oil (Gaultheria fragrantissima Wall) anti-inflammatory in 20 drops of vegetable oil and massage several times a day until improvement. Be careful, this essential oil is prohibited to children before the age of 6 and to pregnant and lactating women.
• To calm the inflammation (eg after a workout), think of the pockets of ice that immediately relieve the pain!
• In case of slight elbow pain, stop all activity and practice puppetry for a few minutes: elbows resting on a table, raise your forearms vertically and rotate your wrists (without forcing) in the both directions.
• For athletes (especially tennis players and golfers), warm-up is absolutely essential. And in case of pain (even slight) at the elbow, no question of force: we rest!
• If the pain is still present after 10 to 15 days, you should quickly consult your doctor, possibly to do additional tests (radio, MRI ...). You can also make an appointment with a chiropractor in case of mechanical pain - that is to say: linked to a movement.

thanks to Philippe Fleuriau, chiropractor and president of the French Chiropractic Association.

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