If you have golfer’s elbow and cannot fully move your elbow without pain, bending or straightening can feel restricted because the inner elbow tendon is still under strain.
If you have golfer’s elbow and cannot fully move your elbow without pain, bending or straightening your arm may feel tight, painful, or restricted. Repeated gripping, lifting, or wrist movement can keep the tendon on the inside of your elbow under strain, making normal elbow movement uncomfortable.
You may notice that your elbow does not want to fully straighten or bend, especially when you first start moving it. Instead of a smooth movement, you may feel a pulling sensation or pain along the inside of your elbow that makes you stop short of your normal range.
This can be especially noticeable when you reach for something, lift an object, bend your arm, or straighten it after keeping it still. The tendons attached to the inside of your elbow can become sensitive from repeated gripping and wrist activity, so movements that normally feel easy may start to hurt or feel restricted.
Your Elbow Hurts When You Try To Fully Straighten It
Straightening your elbow may bring on a pulling or aching pain along the inside of the joint.
You may get close to fully straightening your arm and then feel the pain increase, making you naturally stop before reaching the end of the movement. This is often more noticeable after gripping, lifting, or other activity that has worked the forearm and elbow.
Bending Your Elbow Can Also Feel Tight And Painful
You may feel pain or tightness when bending your elbow back toward your body, especially after using your arm repeatedly.
The movement may feel fine at first and then become more uncomfortable after several repetitions or later in the day. Repeated use can leave the inside of your elbow feeling sore and less comfortable with both bending and straightening.
Why Your Elbow Movement Stays Painful
Your elbow can take longer to recover when blood flow and circulation are reduced.
Muscles, tendons, ligaments, and other soft tissues can become irritated or strained through repeated movement, overuse, awkward movements, prolonged positions, or everyday activities. Some of these tissues, particularly tendons and ligaments, naturally receive less blood supply than many other parts of the body and may take longer to recover after irritation or injury. Recovery can take even longer when the same movements or activities continue to place stress on them.
Reduced circulation through the area can make it harder for the tissues to receive the oxygen and nutrients they need to heal properly. This can leave your elbow feeling sore, tight, weak, stiff, or painful during everyday activities.
How To Help Your Elbow Feel Better
Improving blood flow and circulation can help your elbow feel better.
For centuries, Chinese herbs have been used to support healthy blood flow and circulation. Their medicinal properties help disperse stagnant blood and excess fluids that can collect around irritated or injured tissues and restrict normal circulation. As circulation begins moving more freely, fresh blood can better deliver oxygen and nutrients throughout the area to help it recover properly.
Topical remedies containing these Chinese herbs can help relieve pain and other symptoms while supporting healthy blood flow and circulation around the elbow. The right product depends on your symptoms and whether the problem is recent or has been ongoing for some time.
If you have pain, swelling, inflammation, or bruising, Bruise Relief Liniment helps relieve these symptoms by increasing circulation and dispersing stagnant blood and fluids around the irritated tissues. As circulation improves, fresh blood, oxygen, and nutrients can more easily reach the tissues that need them for healing.
If the area is especially swollen, red, or warm after a recent injury or flare-up, Ice Substitute Poultice can also be used to reduce swelling and inflammation while dispersing accumulated blood and fluids. As swelling and trapped fluids are reduced, circulation can move more freely through the area.
If you no longer have swelling or inflammation, but still have pain, stiffness, weakness, or sensitivity in cold weather, Pain Relief Liniment helps relieve these symptoms by strongly stimulating circulation and increasing blood flow to irritated tendons and ligaments. This is especially important because tendons and ligaments naturally receive less blood supply and can take longer to recover.
If you continue to have pain or stiffness around an injured tendon or ligament, or the area feels more painful in cold weather, Tendon and Ligament Poultice can also be used to further stimulate circulation to the area. By increasing circulation, it helps offset the reduced blood flow caused by cold weather, which can aggravate chronic tendon and ligament injuries.
If your muscles feel sore or tight, or if you are preparing for exercise or strenuous activity, Muscle Therapy Massage Oil warms and stimulates the muscles, increases circulation, relieves tightness, and improves flexibility. Using it before activity helps warm up the muscles, while applying it afterward can help relieve soreness and stiffness.
Frequently Asked Questions
You may also find these commonly asked questions helpful.
Why can’t I fully move my elbow with golfer’s elbow?
Pain along the inside of your elbow can make fully bending or straightening your arm uncomfortable and cause you to stop short of your normal movement.
Why does bending my elbow hurt with golfer’s elbow?
Bending your elbow can pull on the irritated area on the inside of your elbow, especially after repeated gripping or forearm activity.
Why does straightening my elbow hurt with golfer’s elbow?
Straightening your elbow can make the inner elbow feel tight or painful when the tendon has been stressed by repeated arm use.
Can gripping make golfer’s elbow limit elbow movement?
Yes. Repeated gripping can keep the inner elbow tendon stressed, making bending and straightening your elbow more uncomfortable.
How long does restricted elbow movement from golfer’s elbow last?
Restricted movement can continue while the inner elbow remains painful, particularly if gripping and other aggravating activities continue.
Recommended Products
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• Bruise Relief Liniment — For recent injuries with pain, bruising, swelling, or inflammation to relieve pain, reduce swelling, increase circulation, and support faster recovery.
• Ice Substitute Poultice — For swollen, inflamed areas to reduce swelling, restore normal range of motion, and support the healing process.
• Pain Relief Liniment — For lingering pain, stiffness, tightness, or weakness after the swelling and inflammation is gone to strongly stimulate circulation and relieve pain.
• Tendon and Ligament Poultice — For ongoing tendon and ligament injuries when stiffness, tightness, or lingering pain remains, helping significantly stimulate circulation and support deeper tissue repair.
• Muscle Therapy Massage Oil — For sore or tight muscles before or after activity to help warm muscles, improve circulation, relieve tightness, and support flexibility.
Related Articles
You may also find these related articles helpful.
• I Have Golfer’s Elbow and I Have Tingling in My Ring and Little Fingers
• I Have Golfer’s Elbow and My Elbow Still Hurts After Months
• I Have Golfer’s Elbow and the Pain Comes Back After It Gets Better
• I Have Golfer’s Elbow and It Hurts Even When I’m Not Using My Arm
Safety Notes
This article provides general educational information about the topic described above.
Persistent, severe, or worsening symptoms should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare professional.
