I'm a doctor these subtle desk habits could be causing your elbow pain

Elbow pain affects about 3% of the global population and can arise from arthritis or injuries linked to manual work, sports, or gym activity. Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow are tendon-related conditions that cause pain and stiffness, especially during twisting movements, and their names can be misleading because many people do not play the associated sports. Repetitive actions that stress the elbows over time are a common cause. Many younger patients experience persistent elbow pain without arthritis and without racket, club, or dumbbell use. Desk work can create continual strains through clicking, scrolling, typing, and switching between positions, especially when the workstation does not support the elbows and also fails to support the back, shoulders, or wrists.

"A surprising amount of life and work rests not just on our shoulders, but also on our elbows. And elbow pain affects around 3% of the population globally arising from arthritis, or injuries associated with certain manual jobs, sports, or the gym. Take tennis elbow and golfer's elbow, for example: common tendon-related conditions affecting the outer and inner sides of the joint and causing pain and stiffness, particularly during twisting movements."

"Their name is deceiving, though few people who are diagnosed with them actually play either sport, and the cause is often related to other repetitive actions that stress the elbows over time. As a primary care physician, I've been struck by the number of younger patients I see with persistent or disruptive elbow pain who have no signs of arthritis, and who haven't even picked up a racket, club, or dumbbell."

"Instead, the problem is something more familiar and subtle: the recurrent strains that come with sitting and working at a desk each day. Sitting in front of a computer can cause elbow strain. A typical day at the office, sitting before a computer, is actually full of strains. Continual clicking and scrolling, switching position to type an email, before moving back to the mouse again, and then repeating, ad nauseam, all day long."

"If coupled with a poorly set-up workstation that fails to support the elbows or your back, shoulders, or wrists the risk is increased. And could lead to a more persistent problem further down the line. Recognizing desk work as a cause of troublesome elbow pain can help us take evasive action and might prevent it from occurring in the first place."

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