Elbow pain relief for athletes

Restore grip strength, tendon capacity & confidence for pain-free play.

  • Pain on the outside or inside of the elbow with gripping

  • Pain with backhands, dinks, or quick grip changes

  • Weak grip strength or pain when carrying bags

  • Pain with lifting, pulling, or push-ups

  • Aching that lingers after activity

  • Tenderness around the elbow tendons

  • Numbness or tingling into the forearm, hand, or fingers

  • Tennis elbow, lateral epicondylalgia

  • Golfer’s elbow, medial epicondylalgia

  • Tendon overload from repetitive gripping & swinging

  • Olecranon bursitis, swelling at the back of the elbow

  • Nerve-related elbow pain, including ulnar nerve irritation

  • Elbow strain from lifting, pulling, or contact sports

  • Often triggered by: Pickleball, te nnis, golf, baseball & throwing sports, weight training, climbing, CrossFit, BJJ & combat sports

  • Pain lasts longer than 1–2 weeks

  • Symptoms keep returning after play or training

  • Grip strength is dropping or pain limits daily tasks

  • You feel numbness or tingling, or nerve symptoms

  • Swelling appears at the back of the elbow

  • You are changing technique to avoid pain

  • The elbow feels weak, unstable, or unpredictable under load

Elbow Pain From Pickleball, Gripping & Swing Sports

Elbow pain can feel minor until it stops you from lifting, throwing, gripping, or playing. With pickleball & other swing sports, repeated impact & gripping can overload tendons, irritate the joint, or trigger nerve sensitivity, especially when mechanics & recovery do not match volume.
We go beyond symptom relief by identifying the movement patterns, grip demands & load tolerance issues driving your pain. With hands-on therapy & a structured rehab plan, we help you rebuild strength, calm irritation & return to sport, work & training with confidence.

Your FREE First Visit

60min

Your first step is a low-pressure visit to understand your body mechanics, what will resolve it, and explain our approach.

  • Quick intake: what’s hurting, what triggers it, training goals
  • Movement: mobility, strength, control, and sport-specific patterns
  • Clear plan: observations, why it’s happening, best path forward

What You’ll Receive

  • A clear clinical direction and root-cause hypothesis
  • Recommended next steps, including a plan and projected timeline
  • Practical guidance on what to do, and what to avoid, in training right now

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What They’re Saying About Us

5.0
Nelson P.
8 months ago
Don't think of this as a typical review written for business--think it as genuine testimony! As a self-proclaimed athlete with a background in soccer and...
Chris S.
11 months ago
If you are looking for a Dr. who supports and treats, rather than giving a generic try this and that, then book the consultation with Dr. Alex Mak. With...
Ben G.
1 year ago
Dr. Mak is very knowledgeable and was able to address the issues I had been experiencing, specifically chronic pain in my foot along with knee pain when...

Quick Questions

Not always. Most players improve with volume adjustments, technique cues, grip changes, & a strengthening plan that rebuilds tendon capacity.

Tennis elbow is typically pain on the outside of the elbow. Golfer’s elbow is typically pain on the inside. Both involve tendon overload & reduced load tolerance.

Tendon pain often ramps up after activity as tissue responds to load. That is a sign your current volume is exceeding your capacity.

Not always. Many athletes improve with smart volume changes, technique tweaks & a plan to rebuild strength & tendon capacity.

They can reduce symptoms short term, but they do not fix the root cause. Long-term relief usually requires progressive strengthening & load management.

Those are classic signs of tendon overload around the elbow, especially with tennis elbow patterns.

That can signal ulnar nerve irritation. We assess nerve sensitivity & movement patterns, then build a plan to reduce irritation & restore function.

It varies by severity, duration & load management. Many athletes feel change within weeks, but full tendon remodeling takes longer with consistent progression.

Yes. Olecranon bursitis needs proper evaluation to determine cause & safe next steps, especially if swelling is significant.

Usually the highest irritation triggers include high-volume gripping, repeated backhands, heavy pulling & long sessions without recovery. We will guide you on what to modify & what to keep.

Dr. Alex Mak, DC, CCSP, CSCS, QME

I was the kid who was told to quit after years of sports and constant injuries, so I became the provider I never had, earning a kinesiology degree at SDSU, graduating chiropractic school summa cum laude, and doubling my clinical hours to obsessively master human movement. Olympus Sports Therapy is built on identifying the root cause, building a real progression plan, and guiding athletes from pain and setbacks back to stronger performance.

Seek medical attention immediately if you experience:

Severe or worsening pain that doesn’t improve with rest Numbness or tingling spreading down both legs Loss of strength in your leg or foot Difficulty controlling bladder or bowel function Pain following a fall, accident, or trauma

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