Elbow pain that seems to be healed but repeats, is it because of the wrist?
Jul 06, 2025
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I passed it thinking it was just a pain caused by using my arm a lotThere are many cases of visiting hospitals. In fact, patients diagnosed with tennis elbow (outer lateral scleritis) often suffer from symptoms even though they do not remember to stretch their arms. In orthopedics, the main cause of this recurrent elbow pain is found in 'Overuse of Wrist'.
Most of the major muscles that move the wrist start in the outer part of the elbow.
In particular, the use of computer mice, housework that twists mops, and occupational activities that often lift heavy objects make excessive use of the wrist, and in the process, repeated micro-damage accumulates in the tendon connected to the elbow (especially the wrist full-body part). If this damage is not properly recovered and repeated, an inflammatory reaction may occur and gradually progress to chronic pain.
Director Min Seul-ki (Orthopedic Surgeon) of Yonsei Star Hospital advised, "Elbow pain is not just a problem with the arm, but repeated movements that started in the wrist lead to accumulated stimulation in the elbow tendon.".
In the early stages, symptoms often improve just by reducing hand use and taking a rest. Simple medication, hot packs, and physical therapy to relieve pain can speed up recovery. However, if the pain persists for more than two to three weeks or if there are restrictions on hand use, more systematic treatment is needed.
Treatment to prevent worsening of symptoms is important because prolonged pain reduces the recovery speed of tissue damage. In order to reduce pain and facilitate the recovery process, various injection or physical treatments are used depending on the patient's condition, and the treatment varies depending on the degree of symptoms.
If it is difficult to reduce hand usage, it is also helpful to use aids such as 'Elbowband'. However, it is desirable to consult a medical staff before wearing these assistive devices because they can be expected to be effective only when worn with the correct position and pressure strength. If the symptoms persist for more than six months or worsen to the extent that it interferes with daily life, a local incision using an arthroscopy may be considered.
If you feel a stabbing pain in the outside of your elbow when typing or using a mouse, pain in your elbow when you turn the bottle cap, or local tenderness when pressing the elbow area, it is advisable to check these symptoms early rather than inadvertently.
Even when there are no symptoms, it is recommended to check your usual wrist usage habits. It is helpful to stretch the wrist before and after work, and to spread the burden by alternately using both hands for twisting or bending the hand. If you are an office worker, you need to improve the environment, such as adjusting the height of the keyboard and using a wrist support.
Director Min Seul-ki emphasized that "Elbow tendons are frequently used in daily life and are difficult to rest on their own" and "If you do not have enough recovery period after treatment, symptoms are likely to repeat, and if it becomes chronic, treatment takes a long time and the rate of improvement is slow, so initial management and lifestyle adjustment are important.'
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This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
