The elbow is a hinge with a rotation built into it, which is what lets the hand turn palm up and palm down while the arm stays where it is. Three bones, four major ligaments, and the ulnar nerve all pass through a joint with very little padding around it, and that density is why elbow problems tend to be specific rather than vague.

Steven Struhl, MD is board certified in orthopedic surgery and holds separate board certification in sports medicine and arthroscopic surgery, earned after a fellowship at Penn State University. He has served as a medical consultant to the United States Open tennis tournament and as medical director for the physical therapy practice treating the Brooklyn Nets, and he has practiced in New York since 1991. He treats elbow injuries and performs elbow surgery at his Manhattan and Westchester offices.

Elbow Conditions Treated in NYC and Westchester


Throwing and lifting with the arms requires functional elbows. Athletes of all levels can sustain elbow injuries or wear conditions that impact their performance. Elbow injuries and conditions are also common in the workplace. Drivers, warehouse and construction workers can all suffer from elbow pain that impacts their job. Dr. Struhl and our medical team offer effective treatments for elbow pain relief and restored function. Some of the elbow injuries and conditions we treat include:

How Elbow Problems Are Evaluated

Elbow pain localizes better than pain in most joints, which makes the examination unusually informative. Pain on the outside points toward the common extensor tendon, pain on the inside toward the flexor tendon or the ulnar nerve, pain at the back toward the triceps or the olecranon, and pain deep within the joint toward cartilage or arthritis. Where the pain sits, and which resisted movement reproduces it, generally narrows the diagnosis before any imaging.

Radiographs show arthritis, spurs, loose bodies, and fractures. MRI shows tendon, ligament, and cartilage, and it is ordered when the examination raises a specific question. Nerve conduction studies are used where ulnar nerve compression is suspected and the picture is unclear. Most elbow conditions are treated without surgery, and the ones that need it are generally identifiable early.

Schedule an Elbow Consultation in New York City

Elbow pain that has been treated as tendonitis for six months without improving is frequently either a different diagnosis or a tendon that needs a different kind of treatment than rest. Dr. Struhl evaluates elbow injuries at his Manhattan and Westchester offices. Contact us at Shoulders & Knees to schedule an appointment.