Elbow & Wrist Pain Treatment — Loveland, CO
Elbow and Wrist Pain Almost Always Starts at the Shoulder.
If your elbow or wrist has been hurting for months, there’s a good chance the real problem is in the muscles of your shoulder and upper arm — not just where it hurts. When the muscles that stabilize your shoulder aren’t working, the smaller muscles of your forearm take on extra load and get overworked. One80 finds where in the chain the breakdown started and fixes it from there.
Conditions we treat
What’s causing your elbow or wrist pain?
Find your condition below. Elbow and wrist problems almost always have an upstream cause in the shoulder and upper arm. We fix the whole arm — not just where it hurts.
Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis)
Tennis elbow is pain and tenderness on the outside of your elbow — when you grip things, turn a doorknob, type, or shake hands. The forearm extensor muscles that attach at the outside of your elbow are overworked. That happens when the shoulder, upper arm, and forearm aren’t sharing load correctly — typically because the shoulder blade muscles and rotator cuff have gone quiet and the forearm has to pick up the slack.
Most tennis elbow treatment involves rest, a counterforce brace, and forearm exercises. That may help short term. But if the shoulder muscles that should be distributing the load aren’t addressed, the forearm stays overloaded the moment you return to normal activities. One80 restores shoulder function first, then addresses the tendon load directly. Most cases resolve fully in 4–6 visits.
Golfer’s Elbow (Medial Epicondylitis)
Golfer’s elbow hurts on the inside of your elbow — the forearm flexor muscles that attach there are overloaded. The same upstream cause applies: the shoulder and upper arm aren’t sharing the load correctly, and the forearm flexors have to work overtime on every grip and rotation. You don’t need to golf to get it — climbers, office workers, and anyone who does repetitive lifting or gripping can develop it.
We assess the full arm chain and restore the shoulder and upper arm muscles that should be distributing the load more evenly. When those muscles are active, the forearm flexors get the break they need and the tendon heals. Most golfer’s elbow cases resolve in 4–8 visits.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Numbness, tingling, or pain in your thumb, index, and middle fingers — often waking you up at night. The median nerve is being compressed as it passes through the carpal tunnel in your wrist. The most overlooked cause is the posture of the entire arm and shoulder. When the shoulder rounds forward and the thoracic spine collapses, the nerves that become the median nerve get stretched and irritated all the way up the chain.
We assess the full arm — shoulder posture, elbow, forearm, and wrist — and address all the points where the nerve may be under tension. We also correct the shoulder and mid-back mechanics that set the tension pattern in the first place. Many patients avoid surgery entirely with this approach.
Why One80 PT gets elbow and wrist results when other clinics don’t
Most elbow and wrist PT treats the painful structure directly — forearm exercises, nerve glides, bracing. One80 starts at the shoulder and works down the chain. When the rotator cuff and shoulder blade muscles are doing their job, the forearm and wrist are no longer being asked to do the work of the whole arm. The pain goes away because the overload goes away.
We serve patients from Loveland, Fort Collins, Berthoud, Windsor, Timnath, and across Northern Colorado. One therapist. One patient. Every visit.
Common questions about elbow and wrist pain
I’ve had a cortisone injection and it helped briefly. Why did it come back?
The injection reduced inflammation. It didn’t change the load the tendon was under. As soon as the anti-inflammatory effect wore off and you resumed normal activities, the overload resumed. That’s the cycle — not a treatment.
My doctor recommended carpal tunnel surgery. Should I try PT first?
Yes, unless you have severe weakness in your thumb muscles or complete loss of sensation. Most mild to moderate carpal tunnel responds well to conservative care when the full arm mechanics are properly addressed.
Can I keep playing my sport or working during treatment?
Often yes, with some temporary modification. We don’t default to complete rest — we modify load during treatment and correct the mechanics so you can return to full activity as quickly as possible.
Do you treat elbow and wrist pain in Fort Collins and surrounding areas?
Yes. One80 Physical Therapy is located in Loveland, CO and serves patients from Fort Collins, Berthoud, Windsor, Timnath, and across Northern Colorado.
Ready to find out why your elbow or wrist really hurts?
Call (970) 593-9300 or book your free consultation.
One therapist. One patient. Results on your first visit — guaranteed.