Why Does My Elbow Hurt When Turning a Door Knob?

Reviewed by Tomas Diaz, MD

Emergency Medicine

Elbow pain when turning a doorknob most commonly occurs due to overuse and inflammation of the tendons around your elbow.

Explanation

When you turn a doorknob, the muscles and tendons in your elbow work together to rotate your arm. These tendons connect the muscles to the bones around the elbow joint. Frequent activities involving twisting or gripping motions can overwork these tendons. Lateral epicondylitis and medial epicondylitis are two common conditions that can cause this type of pain. In tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis), the pain is felt on the outside of the elbow, while golfer's elbow (medial epicondylitis) causes pain on the inside. These conditions often develop gradually and can make simple tasks like turning doorknobs quite uncomfortable. Rest, gentle stretching, and targeted exercises can help relieve the pain. If symptoms persist or worsen, consult a doctor who can provide treatment options and recommend activity modifications to allow your elbow to heal.

(References)

Welsh P. Tendon neuroplastic training for lateral elbow tendinopathy: 2 case reports. J Can Chiropr Assoc. 2018 Aug;62(2):98-104. PMID: 30305765; PMCID: PMC6173218.
Lai WC, Erickson BJ, Mlynarek RA, Wang D. Chronic lateral epicondylitis: challenges and solutions. Open Access J Sports Med. 2018 Oct 30;9:243-251. doi: 10.2147/OAJSM.S160974. PMID: 30464656; PMCID: PMC6214594.
Pearce McCarty L 3rd. Approach to Medial Elbow Pain in the Throwing Athlete. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2019 Mar;12(1):30-40. doi: 10.1007/s12178-019-09534-w. PMID: 30739248; PMCID: PMC6388576.

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