Elbow, wrist and hand
Elbow, wrist and hand physiotherapy, Hobart
Often a load problem, not a weak arm.
Gives way when lifting, burning by the end of the day, sharp pain with grip. We find out why it's overloading, and build the capacity in your forearm, shoulder and grip to match what your day asks of it.
Book initial assessment Our approach
No referral needed. All major health funds.
- No referral needed
- All major health funds
- GP care plans accepted
- Hobart
Tennis and golfer's elbow are usually tendon overload. Tendons respond to the right amount of load, not to stopping everything.
Elbow, wrist and hand pain.
This covers pain on the outside or inside of the elbow, through the forearm, at the wrist, or in the hand. It often builds up with lifting, climbing, desk work or a new repetitive job, and it's usually worst when you grip.
Tennis elbow
Pain with gripping and lifting, through the outside of the elbow and forearm.
Golfer's elbow
Pain with pulling, climbing or lifting, through the inside of the elbow.
Wrist pain
Pain taking weight through the hand, like push-ups or getting up off the floor.
Grip
A weak or painful grip, dropping things, or sore by the end of the day.
What's loading it.
When the forearm muscles can't handle the work, load moves to the tendons around the elbow and wrist. Tendons recover more slowly, so they're often the first place it hurts.
Grip load spikes
More lifting, climbing or tool work than the tendons are used to.
Shoulder and upper back
A shoulder that isn't sharing the load hands more to the forearm.
Repetitive tasks
The same grip or movement, over and over, through the day.
Training technique
How you grip and pull in the gym or on the wall.
The other 23.5 hours
Desk, phone, mouse and tools between sessions.
Previous injury
An old wrist or elbow injury that never fully rebuilt.
Sound familiar?
- Gives way when picking up weights
- Burning sensation in forearms
- Wrist pain with grip, can't lift
- Sharp pain with pressing
- Terrible by the end of the day
- Sore opening jars or turning handles
- Push-ups hurt the wrist
- Sore after climbing or a big day on the tools
How we work through it.
We find the load your arm can handle today, then build grip, forearm and shoulder strength until it matches what you ask of it.
Assess
We test grip, pain with loading, range, and your shoulder and upper back.
Explain
What's overloading it, and what that means for training and work.
Plan
A clear pathway back to the lift, climb or task you came in for.
Load
Tendon loading at the right level, then forearm, grip and shoulder strength.
Measure
We re-test grip strength and pain with loading as you go.
Progress
Heavier and more varied loading, back into training, climbing or work.
Three phases. Your pace.
Calm
Settle the tendon with the right amount of load. You learn what flares it and what eases it.
Coordination and capacity
Build forearm, grip and shoulder capacity, light first, then heavier and faster.
Challenge
Strength for life, so your arms handle training, climbing and work.
What we measure.
A generic example of what we track. Your starting point is your own, which is why we measure rather than guess.
| Measure | Baseline | Re-test | What decides the next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grip strength | Lower than your other side, painful | Strength and pain against your other side | Closing the gap means we add load |
| Pain with loading | Pain lifting or gripping | Pain with the same load | Less pain at the same load moves you to heavier work |
| Your task | Can't lift, climb or work without pain | What you can do now | Doing it comfortably moves you to full training |
Keep building once the pain's gone.
Phase three happens in our own gym. When you're ready, Strength By Design is where that work carries on, coached and physio-designed.
What makes us different.
We look at how you move
Not just where it hurts. The movement pattern, the coordination, and what's actually loading the sore spot.
Strength is the treatment
Pain relief is the start. Loading the right muscles in the right order is the work that follows.
We explain the why
You leave every session knowing more about your body than when you arrived.
Progress you can see
We measure where you start and re-test as you go, so you always know where you're at.
One standard of care
Every physio works to the same assessment-led method, every session.
Clinic and gym under one roof
Seven treatment rooms and a private gym, run by the same team.
Common questions about elbow, wrist or hand pain.
Should I stop training or working?
Usually not completely, but you may need to change how much grip and lifting you do for a while. Tendons respond to the right load. We'll find what your arm can handle now and build from there.
My scan shows tendon changes. Is that the problem?
Not necessarily. Tendon changes are common on scans in people with no pain. What matters is how your arm handles load. We'll walk you through what yours means for your situation.
Can you help with wrist and hand pain too?
Yes. We assess the wrist and hand alongside the elbow and shoulder, and we can refer you for an X-ray if it's needed.
I've had elbow treatment before and it came back. What's different here?
Often the pain settled before the tendon's capacity was rebuilt. We measure your grip and loading as you progress, so you can see where you're at.
Do I need a referral?
No. You can book directly without a GP referral, unless your insurer or GP has specified otherwise. If you have a GP care plan (CDM or EPC), we accept it: you pay the full fee, we lodge the Medicare claim for you, and Medicare pays the rebate to you.
Ready to get on top of your elbow, wrist or hand pain?
No referral needed. All major health funds. GP care plans accepted. Hobart.
Or call or text 0483 947 716, or email hello@bydesignphysio.com