ABSTRACT
Pain from the elbow may be localized or diffuse, extending into the forearm. Localized pain over the lateral or medial epicondyle of the humerus is usually due to tendonitis ('tennis elbow' or 'golfer's elbow' respectively). Certain activities such as lifting may trigger or exacerbate the pain. Pain from the dorsal aspect of the elbow is likely to be due to olecranon bursitis or rarely triceps tendinopathy; anterior elbow pain is likely to be due to distal biceps tendinopathy. Pain in childhood or adolescence requires further investigation to rule out osteochondritides. In older patients osteoarthritis is a common cause of symptoms. The symptoms are stiffnes, swelling, deformity, instability, ulnar nerve symptoms, and loss of function. Stiffness of the elbow may be due to congenital abnormalities (synostosis or arthrogryposis), infection, inflammatory arthritis, osteoarthritis or the late effects of trauma. Pain in the elbow is sometimes referred pain from the cervical spine.
