Pain in the elbow can arise from a number of conditions including arthritis or cartilage damage within the joint and from the surrounding muscles and tendons (bicipital tendonitis, ‘tennis elbow’, ‘golfers elbow’). The site and nature of the pain are important indicators of what the potential cause might be.

Many conditions affecting the elbow joint cause at least some degree of stiffness and restricted movement.

The very nature of the elbow joint is that it is relatively stable. Unlike in the shoulder joint instability without significant trauma is uncommon.

Painless clicking in a joint is a common phenomenon and is usually of little or no relevance. However, when a joint clicks and the clicking is painful, then this is more significant as it implies that there may be something catching within the joint, such as a loose piece of cartilage or bone fragment. Painful clicking in a joint is usually requires further investigation and may require surgical treatment.