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Published on: 5/26/2025

Why do i experience elbow pain when straightening my arm?

Elbow pain when you straighten your arm can be due to tendon problems from overuse (like tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow) or nerve issues such as cubital tunnel syndrome. These conditions hurt the joints and muscles around the elbow, making movements painful.

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Explanation

When you straighten your arm, the muscles and tendons around your elbow work hard. Sometimes, if these tendons get overused or strained, tiny tears or inflammation can occur. This overuse injury is often called lateral epicondylitis (or tennis elbow) when it affects the outside of the elbow, and medial epicondylitis (or golfer’s elbow) when it affects the inside. Both conditions can make the action of straightening your arm hurt because the involved tendons are under stress. In addition, a nerve problem like cubital tunnel syndrome, which happens when the ulnar nerve is squeezed at the elbow, can also cause pain or numbness during movements. Treatments often include resting the arm, icing the painful area, and doing gentle stretches or physical therapy exercises to help the tendons heal. If the pain doesn’t go away with home care, it’s important to talk to a doctor who can give advice based on your specific situation.

(References)

  • Cutts S, Gangoo S, Modi N, Pasapula C. Tennis elbow: A clinical review article. J Orthop. 2019 Aug 10;17:203-207. doi: 10.1016/j.jor.2019.08.005. PMID: 31889742; PMCID: PMC6926298.

  • Kiel J, Kaiser K. Golfers Elbow. [Updated 2023 Jun 26]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519000/

  • Ma KL, Wang HQ. Management of Lateral Epicondylitis: A Narrative Literature Review. Pain Res Manag. 2020 May 5;2020:6965381. doi: 10.1155/2020/6965381. PMID: 32454922; PMCID: PMC7222600.

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