Soreness in your elbow after lifting weights is a sign of tennis elbow or an elbow strain or sprain. The physical stress applied to your elbow during weightlifting puts you at risk for all these injuries. To avoid further injury to your elbow, stop lifting weights until the soreness disappears or your doctor has approved normal physical activities.
Identification
The symptoms are similar for sprains and strains, but the difference is sprains affect the ligaments and strains affect muscles and tendons. An elbow sprain or strain will make it difficult to extend or move your elbow. Swelling and bruising may be present. Both injuries can range from mild micro-tearing to severe tears or ruptures of the ligaments, muscles or tendons. Severe elbow injuries will make the elbow joint unstable. If you have an elbow strain, muscle spasms may be present and your muscles may feel weak. Tennis elbow will give you a weak grip and you'll experience a burning sensation that radiates outside the elbow into the forearm and wrist.
Cause
Overuse of the elbow over a long period of time or from lifting more weight than your muscles can handle, can result in elbow strain or tennis elbow. Poor muscle strength and a lack of flexibility can result in sprains, strains or tennis elbow. Poor lifting technique increases your risk of injuries from hyperextension of the tendons, ligaments and muscles of the elbow. If you've had a previous elbow injury, you have an increased risk of all three elbow conditions. A forced twist of the arm or loose joints can cause an elbow sprain while lifting weights. Tennis elbow can result from repetitive contractions of the forearm muscles.
Treatment
When you initially notice the pain in your elbow, begin treating the injury with rest, ice, compression and elevation. Ice the injury every four hours for 15 minutes during the first three days. On the fourth day, switch to a heating pad. Wrap your elbow with an Ace bandage. Elevate your elbow above your heart to help reduce swelling. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. If your symptoms do not improve with home treatments, your doctor may need to take an X-ray to rule out a fracture. A sling may be worn to minimize use of the elbow. Physical therapy is useful to stretch and strengthen the muscles, tendons and ligaments of your elbow. If you have a severe sprain or strain, surgery may be needed to repair the tear. If treatment of tennis elbow is unsuccessful after a year of therapy, surgery will be needed.
Prevention
Consult with a personal trainer or sports specialist to ensure you're using proper lifting techniques and the amount of weight you're lifting is appropriate for your fitness level. A forearm brace can be worn to help stabilize your elbow while lifting weights. Always warm up for 15 minutes by walking or jogging before lifting weight. Warm ups should be followed by a stretching routine and stretches are held for 30 seconds.
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