Here is a list of the main problems and concerns when we would recommend you get checked out by a health professional before commencing self-management exercises. These are called Red Flags and may indicate a more serious problem that requires medical assessment.
Symptoms That Are Present After Trauma
If your symptoms are caused by a recent traumatic incident (e.g. a fall, football tackle) and you have any of the following symptoms:
- Significant bruising and swelling in the area
- Difficulty in moving elbow or seems locked in one position
- Looks a different shape to the other side, new lumps and bumps that have appeared since the injury.
- Loss of ability to use your hand normally.
Note: If you have an underlying poor bone density (e.g. osteoporosis) smaller amounts of force can cause the problems listed above.
Symptoms Where No Trauma Was Involved
- Hot, red and/or swelling of elbow
- Tingling, numbness and/ or pins and needles into arm, hand or fingers
- Worsening weakness in your arm and/or loss of movement
- Unexplained lumps or bumps which are changing/growing
- Fever and generally feeling unwell at same time as elbow pain developed
- Pain and/ or stiffness in other joints at the same time as elbow pain developed
- Constant pain which appears to not change with rest/ activity.
- Significant worsening pain at night in bed
- Unexplained weight loss and/ or previous history of cancer.
NOTE: Special attention should be taken if you have a history of long-term steroid use/immunosuppressive drugs, recent joint replacement, surgery, steroid injection. Rheumatoid arthritis or other joint disease. Recent infection, intravenous drug use or alcohol misuse.
Resources
Elbow Information leaflets
Exercises
Here are some specific exercises to help you get your arm moving better. You may need to build these exercises up gradually.
You may be uncomfortable when you start doing these exercises – make sure the level of discomfort feels acceptable to you and that it doesn’t take too long to settle once you are finished.
The exercises should get easier the more consistently you manage to practice them and this may allow you to progress to more difficult exercises.
These are self help exercises:
- Try to enjoy the exercises and work at a pace and level that feels safe
- Please use a common sense approach when deciding which ones to try
- The exercises listed are not designed as an alternative to professional advice.