Elbow Osteoarthritis in Mona Vale
Elbow osteoarthritis can cause pain, stiffness and reduced movement that affects lifting, pushing, pulling and everyday activities. At Helix Recovery, we assess how the elbow is functioning and develop a treatment and rehabilitation plan to improve movement, strength and your ability to stay active.
What is Elbow Osteoarthritis?
Elbow osteoarthritis involves changes to the cartilage, bone and other tissues within the elbow joint. It is less common than osteoarthritis of the knee or hip but can develop following previous injury, repetitive heavy loading or gradually over time.
Changes seen on X-ray or MRI do not always correspond with the severity of someone's symptoms. Treatment focuses on improving pain, movement and function rather than attempting to reverse the structural changes within the joint.
Common Symptoms
Pain or aching around the elbow
Elbow stiffness
Reduced ability to fully bend or straighten the elbow
Pain with lifting, pushing or pulling
Clicking or grinding around the joint
Stiffness after periods of inactivity
Reduced tolerance for gym, work or sport
Difficulty with everyday activities involving the arm
How We Assess Elbow Osteoarthritis
Elbow pain and stiffness can arise from the joint itself as well as surrounding tendons, muscles and nerves, so imaging findings are considered alongside your symptoms and clinical examination.
Assessment may include elbow movement, strength testing, joint and muscle tenderness and functional movements that reproduce your symptoms. The wrist and shoulder may also be assessed where appropriate.
The aim is to understand how the elbow is currently functioning and identify the movement, strength and loading factors that can be addressed through treatment and rehabilitation.
How We Treat Elbow Osteoarthritis
Treatment depends on how long symptoms have been present, their severity and the activities you want to return to.
Treatment may include:
Osteopathic manual therapy
Shockwave therapy
Progressive exercise rehabilitation
Elbow and upper-limb strengthening
Activity and load modification
Gradual return to work, gym or sport
Shockwave Therapy for Elbow Osteoarthritis
Shockwave therapy may be considered for some people with persistent elbow osteoarthritis, particularly where pain and sensitivity around the joint or surrounding soft tissues are limiting activity and rehabilitation.
Shockwave therapy does not reverse the structural changes associated with osteoarthritis but may be utilised to help reduce pain and target associated soft tissue symptoms. Where appropriate, it is used alongside progressive exercise and strengthening as part of a broader treatment plan.
Common Questions
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No. Osteoarthritis involves structural changes within the joint, but describing an elbow as “worn out” can be misleading. The severity of changes seen on imaging does not always correspond with pain or function.
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Yes. Progressive strengthening and movement can help maintain or improve function, strength and tolerance for everyday activities.
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Often, yes. Certain exercises, ranges or loads may initially need to be modified, but the goal is generally to maintain activity and progressively build your tolerance where possible.
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The structural changes associated with osteoarthritis cannot currently be reversed, but symptoms and function can often be improved significantly through exercise, appropriate load management and other conservative treatments.
Is Elbow Pain or Stiffness Limiting What You Can Do?
If persistent elbow symptoms are affecting your work, gym training, sport or everyday activities, we can assess what's contributing and develop a treatment and rehabilitation plan.