The elbow may be called the funny bone, but there’s nothing funny about experiencing elbow pain when lifting. Elbow pain can happen when lifting just about anything — from dumbbells to pots of water — which can make working out and everyday activities like cooking uncomfortable or difficult. 

“Experiencing elbow pain when lifting is common, and it’s very treatable,” says Caleb Wolters, PT, DPT, a physical therapist at Hinge Health. One of the most effective strategies for treating most cases of elbow pain may surprise you — keep lifting and moving your elbow. After all, movement is medicine: “If you stop lifting things, muscles around your elbow can become weaker, which then makes it harder for you to lift objects without pain,” Dr. Wolters says. 

Performing targeted exercises can help build strength and stability in your elbow to continue lifting heavy objects at the gym and in daily life.

Read on to learn more about elbow pain from lifting, including what causes it, how to treat it, and exercises recommended by Hinge Health physical therapists to ease elbow pain and prevent it from coming back.

Causes of elbow pain when lifting

When you have elbow pain, it means your elbow joint or the soft tissues or nerves surrounding it are inflamed, irritated, tense, or tender. It can be easy for the muscles and tendons supporting your elbow to become strained, especially when lifting. Your elbow plays a big role in how you lift objects, because all of the muscles in your wrist and hands that you use to grip things (like a barbell) are attached to your elbow. “Lifting typically involves holding onto something, so all those muscles are working,” Dr. Wolters says. 

When you grip or lift something repeatedly — say, a freeweight, or grocery store items — you may begin to feel discomfort in your elbow. Conditions such as arthritis, tendonitis, or elbow injuries can also play a role. Here are some common causes of elbow pain when lifting.

• Overdoing it. It’s easy to do, especially when you’re eager to start a new workout routine or get out in the yard to garden. But the key is to ramp up slowly and gradually, no matter what activity you’re engaging in, as that can help condition your elbow for those movements. Trying to lift something heavier than what your body is prepared for can also result in elbow pain. Research shows that stress on the elbow increases as your muscles around it become fatigued. 

• Repetitive activities. Constantly using the muscles in your forearm, which attach to the outside of your elbow, can contribute to elbow pain over time. Repetitive motions such as using hand tools or playing pickleball can inflame your tendons and muscles and even irritate your nerves. As a result, you may feel pain in your elbow when you try to lift something. 

• Lack of strength. When your muscles aren’t strong enough to perform certain movements, they can fatigue more quickly and begin to ache or become sore. “Tissues that aren’t as strong tend to be more susceptible to pain because they hit their capacity a lot more quickly,” Dr. Wolters says.  

• Tendon issues. Tendons connect muscles to bones to help you move. When you strain your tendons — meaning you pull them or they get strained — it can cause swelling and pain. Conditions such as tennis elbow, which affect the tendons on the outside of your elbow, and golfer’s elbow — tendonitis on the inside of your elbow — can cause your elbow to hurt when you pick objects up.

• Joint conditions. Conditions like arthritis and impingement can cause elbow pain when lifting. Elbow arthritis occurs when the protective cartilage in the joint changes over time, leading to inflammation in your elbow. Impingement is when soft tissue, like ligaments, tendons, bursae, or muscles, gets compressed in the joint.

• Nerve irritation. Repetitive activities involving bending or extending the elbow can irritate nerves in the joint, causing problems like cubital tunnel syndrome, which can result in pain when lifting. 

• Bursitis. Bursa are small fluid-filled sacs that act as cushions between bones in joints. Bursitis occurs when the bursa becomes inflamed, swollen, and painful. Repetitive pressure or trauma to the elbow, such as leaning on hard surfaces, can strain the area and potentially cause elbow bursitis. 

• Acute injuries. A sprain in your ligaments, fracture in your elbow bone, or dislocation of bones in your joint can all cause elbow pain, especially when lifting.

Symptoms of elbow pain when lifting

When you experience elbow pain when lifting, it may feel sharp and shooting in the beginning, but then turn into a dull ache or soreness later. “Usually, when you let go of whatever object you’re holding, the initial sharpness calms down,” Dr. Wolters says. “The dull ache, however, can linger.” Other common symptoms include:

• Burning sensation

• Stiffness

• Weakness

You can also experience wrist pain along with elbow pain since both joints — and the tendons and muscles around them — are working as you lift things. 

If you don’t feel any relief, even for short periods of time, consider reaching out to your physical therapist. They can give you advice on what to do next. But, if you notice any significant numbness, tingling, significant strength loss, or changes in the color or temperature of your skin surrounding your elbow, talk to your healthcare provider.

Movement is essential to improve mobility in your elbow joint, build strength in your forearm muscles and tendons, and ease pressure on your elbow. These exercises strengthen and stretch the muscles and tendons that start at the hand and go all the way up to your elbow, which can prepare your elbow joint for lifting things. By increasing the mobility of your elbow joint and strengthening its surrounding soft tissues, your elbow can extend and bend with less rigidity, which can also mean less pain.    

The information contained in these videos is intended to be used for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice or treatment for any specific condition. Hinge Health is not your healthcare provider and is not responsible for any injury sustained or exacerbated by your use of or participation in these exercises. Please consult with your healthcare provider with any questions you may have about your medical condition or treatment.

More ways to relieve elbow pain from lifting

Most people who experience elbow pain when lifting can get relief with conservative treatments. Here’s what Hinge Health physical therapists recommend. 

• Physical therapy. “Working with a physical therapist can help you find ways to use your muscles with minimal discomfort, so you can continue to build strength, which is a long-term solution for pain reduction and lifting without pain,” says Dr. Wolters. A physical therapist can recommend stretches, strengthening exercises, and lifting modifications designed for you and your health goals. You can see a physical therapist in person or use a program like Hinge Health, where you may access a PT via telehealth/video visit.

• Exercise therapy. A physical therapist can recommend targeted exercises you can do at home, which play an important role in pain relief. “Simple, low intensity, range of motion-promoting exercises increase blood flow to muscles, helping them warm up. “These moves can also help the body calm down and not be as sensitive in those areas of discomfort,” says Dr. Wolters. In other words, exercise therapy can help improve ‌the sensitivity of your nervous system, which can help decrease pain. “Once things calm down, you build the strength of that tissue back up so you can lift more before you have that onset of pain,” Dr. Wolters says.

• Movement. “Exercise, in general, is a great tool for reducing pain, no matter where it’s occurring in your body,” Dr. Wolters says. “Going for a walk, getting on a bike, going for a swim — anything that gets your heart rate up can help make your body less sensitive to pain.” It may even be a good idea to keep up with your strength training routine. “Continuing to lift allows muscles to maintain or even increase strength,” Dr. Wolters says. “A lot of times, strengthening moves can target the underlying problem that’s causing discomfort.”

• Heat, ice, or both. Ice reduces inflammation and swelling, while heat relaxes muscles and promotes more blood flow to the area that you’re experiencing pain in. Choose the one that provides the best relief for you. You may even prefer alternating between heat and ice. Try using heat or ice for 10-15 minutes every hour, if you need it. 

• Elbow strap. This type of brace goes below the elbow and helps relieve soreness. “It’s another way to support the elbow as it tolerates movement so you can keep using your elbow and keep lifting,” Dr. Wolters says. But, this is just a temporary solution to help you feel comfortable as you exercise. Movement targets the root problem. Consider asking your physical therapist how to use an elbow strap and tips on how to not become reliant on it.

How to prevent elbow pain when lifting 

Here are strategies that Hinge Health physical therapists recommend to prevent elbow pain when picking things up.

• Warm up first. Before workouts or vigorous everyday activities like yard work or moving furniture, which include lifting, take a few minutes to prepare your body for the activity. Warming up increases blood flow to the area, warms muscles so they’re more elastic, and increases range of motion to reduce your risk of straining the muscles and tendons around your elbow. You can use the exercises above (without resistance) to warm up.

• Ease into activity. It’s easy to do too much, too fast when starting any new project or activity. “If you’re starting a new exercise routine or working in the yard, take your time, go slow, and gradually increase activity,” says Dr. Wolters. 

• Take breaks. If you have to work long hours or do another task that involves your wrist and elbow for an extended period, take as many breaks as you can to let the muscles between these joints relax. “Break up a big amount of work into more manageable, smaller chunks, so your muscles don’t fatigue as quickly,” Dr. Wolters says. 

• Build strength. Muscles and tendons are resilient by nature, and it’s important to keep them strong. The stronger muscles and tendons are, the less easily they will fatigue and become irritated, says Dr. Wolters.  

• Fuel well. Eating a healthy diet can play a big role in keeping your muscles and tendons strong and reduce injury risk and subsequent pain. “Protein is what your body needs to help muscles recover and rebuild after a workout or activity,” says Dr. Wolters. So, make sure you’re getting enough high-quality protein post-activity.

PT tip: Switch your grip

There isn’t a right or wrong way to lift something, but there are ways to modify how you’re moving to minimize elbow pain and discomfort. “If an overhand grip is uncomfortable, you could try gripping it underhand and see if it feels better,” says Dr. Wolters. Or switch from underhand to overhand. “Adjust your grip to find a position that feels good.” 

How Hinge Health can help you

If you have joint or muscle pain that makes it hard to move, you can get the relief you’ve been looking for with Hinge Health’s online exercise therapy program.

The best part: You don’t have to leave your home because our program is digital. That means you can easily get the care you need through our app when and where it works for you.

Through our program, you’ll have access to therapeutic exercises and stretches for your condition. Additionally, you’ll have a personal care team to guide, support, and tailor our program to you.

See if you qualify for Hinge Health and confirm free coverage through your employer or benefit plan here.

This article and its contents are provided for educational and informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or professional services specific to you or your medical condition.

References

1. Huang, Y.-P., Chou, Y.-L., Chen, F.-C., Wang, R.-T., Huang, M.-J., & Chou, P. P.-H. (2014). Elbow Joint Fatigue and Bench-Press Training. Journal of Athletic Training, 49(3), 317–321. doi: 10.4085/1062–6050–49.1.05

2. Kheiran, A., Pandey, A., & Pandey, R. (2021). Common tendinopathies around the elbow; what does current evidence say? Journal of Clinical Orthopaedics and Trauma, 19, 216–223. doi: 10.1016/j.jcot.2021.05.021