The complexity of the elbow joint, as well as its central position on the arm, increases its susceptibility to pain and injury. The various causes of elbow pain make it difficult to diagnose. Improper form places the joint in an unstable position. Overuse, compression, incorrect exercise sequencing and muscular imbalances are also possible causes of elbow pain. Inadequate rest between training sessions and inefficient equipment choices exacerbate the problem.
History
An article on the American Family Physician website details the importance of an activity history for evaluating elbow pain. Lead author Eric M. Chumbly suggests that you tell your doctor about your sport participation, in addition to your weight-training program. Bowling, for example, is associated with biceps tendinitis, and tennis can cause triceps tendinitis. Anything ending with "itis" implies an inflammation or overuse injury, so bowling or playing tennis on the same day as your workout may be the culprit. Your doctor will ask you if the pain occurs during the activity, after the activity or at rest. Pain radiation to your wrist or shoulder is also important, because it may indicate nerve damage. Finally, tell your doctor about any family history of arthritis and bone disease.
Function
The elbow's anatomy provides insight into its vulnerability. The elbow is a hinge joint. Flexion, or bending the arm, and extension, or straightening the arm, are its primary movements. The muscles that support the elbow assist it in supination, which turns the palm up, and pronation, which turns the palm down. These common, functional movements make it difficult to rest the elbow after pain or injury.
Sequence
The elbow joint, which is supported by the biceps and triceps, is active in most upper-body exercises. The biceps and triceps assist the larger muscle groups in chest, shoulder and upper-back exercises, but they are weaker than the muscles they assist. As such, biceps- and triceps-isolation exercises should be performed at the end of your workout. Fatiguing them prior to working larger muscle groups impairs form. Impaired form causes incorrect elbow tracking, which leads to pain and injury.
Considerations
Fitness trainers sometimes refer to the biceps as the "beach muscles." Their location on the front of the arm makes them more visible, so people overtrain them at the expense of the triceps. This type of unbalanced training develops more support in the front of the elbow and less in the back. The resulting muscle imbalance affects movement quality and causes improper lifting form.
Expert Insight
Equipment choices, according to Occidental College kinesiologist Dr. Eric Sternlicht, can also cause elbow pain. He suggests that using a barbell, instead of free weights, causes your elbow to remain in the supinated position at the bottom of the extension phase of the biceps curl. This is an unnatural movement, which adds stress to the joints. When your arms are at rest by your sides, your palms are facing your thighs, and your elbows are in a pronated position. Working with free weights instead of barbells enables you to return to this natural position and alleviate elbow joint stress.
