Elbow Conditions

Common elbow problems

• Tennis elbow (in Polish) — pain on the outside of the elbow, usually worsened by gripping and wrist activity.
• Golfer’s elbow (in Polish) — medial pain, often associated with loading the forearm flexor group.
• Stiff elbow (in Polish) — limited extension or flexion due to contracture, joint changes or a mechanical block.
• Pain at the back of the elbow (in Polish) — a guide distinguishing problems of the olecranon bursa, triceps tendon and the joint itself.

When may a nerve be the source of pain?

Not every painful elbow involves a tendon. Numbness of the little finger and part of the ring finger (in Polish) may relate to ulnar neuropathy. By contrast, deep lateral elbow pain without typical numbness (in Polish) may need differentiation from radial tunnel syndrome. These resources are also available from the peripheral nerve section.

How does an orthopaedic surgeon select tests?

First determine whether the main problem concerns a tendon, joint, nerve or effects of injury. X-rays are usually the initial imaging test for chronic elbow pain; ultrasound, MRI or CT are selected for a specific clinical question. Imaging complements the history and examination rather than replacing them.

An acute elbow injury has a separate pathway

After sudden injury, it is important to distinguish overload from a fracture or tendon rupture. Separate resources cover radial head fractures (in Polish) and distal biceps tendon rupture (in Polish). These belong to the injury section but are also accessible from the elbow section.