That aching, burning pain on the outside of your elbow that flares up when you lift a coffee cup, shake someone’s hand, or type at your keyboard it’s one of those injuries that sounds minor but can quietly take over your daily life. Most people put up with it for weeks, even months, assuming it’ll go away on its own. Sometimes it does. But often, it doesn’t and understanding exactly what’s going on inside your elbow is the key to actually fixing it.
Elbow and forearm pain is far more common than people realise. Whether it’s from sport, repetitive work movements, or simply the wear and tear of everyday life, the structures around the elbow are surprisingly vulnerable. And while ‘tennis elbow’ is the name most people know, it’s just one of several conditions that can cause pain in this area.
Despite the name, the vast majority of people who develop tennis elbow have never picked up a racquet in their life. Tennis elbow medically known as lateral epicondylitis is an overuse injury affecting the tendons that attach to the bony prominence on the outside of your elbow. These tendons connect the forearm muscles that allow you to extend your wrist and fingers.
When these tendons are repeatedly strained through typing, painting, using hand tools, lifting, cooking, or any repetitive gripping motion small tears develop in the tendon tissue. Over time, the body’s attempts to repair those micro-tears can become a cycle of ongoing degeneration rather than true healing.
The result is pain and tenderness on the outside of the elbow, often radiating down the forearm. It tends to be worse with gripping or lifting, and it can linger frustratingly for months if the underlying cause isn’t addressed.
While tennis elbow is common, it’s not the only possibility. Several other conditions can produce similar symptoms around the elbow and forearm:
Golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylitis) affects the tendons on the inside of the elbow and is caused by similar repetitive strain. Despite the name, it’s just as common in office workers and tradies as it is in golfers.
Tendon tears can occur in the biceps tendon at the front of the elbow or in the common extensor tendon on the outside. These can happen suddenly through heavy lifting or forced extension, and they require specific management sometimes including surgery.
Bursitis involves inflammation of the fluid-filled bursa sac that sits at the tip of the elbow. It can cause visible swelling and tenderness directly at the back of the joint.
Referred pain from the neck or shoulder can also produce elbow and forearm symptoms, particularly if nerves are involved. This is one reason that elbow pain doesn’t always have a simple local cause.
Stress fractures or bone stress reactions, while less common, can occur in the elbow with repetitive loading in active individuals.
One of the most useful things about musculoskeletal ultrasound is that it shows soft tissue structures that X-rays completely miss. Tendons, ligaments, bursae, and muscles are all invisible on a standard X-ray — which means an X-ray can come back completely clear even when there’s a significant tendon tear or degeneration present.
An elbow ultrasound can:
This information makes a significant difference to treatment decisions. Mild tendon degeneration might be managed with physiotherapy and load modification. A partial tear may require a different approach entirely. A complete rupture may need surgical review. Without imaging, it’s genuinely difficult to know which situation you’re dealing with.
Many people wait far too long before investigating elbow pain. If any of the following apply to you, it’s time to stop managing it with rest alone and get some answers:
A referral from your GP or physiotherapist is all you need to book a diagnostic ultrasound.
If elbow or forearm pain has been holding you back, Capri Ultrasound on the Gold Coast offers bulk-billed musculoskeletal ultrasounds performed by experienced sonographers. Whether you’re dealing with a chronic ache that won’t resolve or a more acute injury, a diagnostic scan gives your treating practitioner the information they need to create the right plan for your recovery.
Don’t keep guessing about what’s causing your pain. Clear imaging leads to better treatment and faster results.
