My Elbow Hurts on the Inside When I Throw and I’m Losing Speed

Inside elbow pain when you throw, especially when your throwing speed starts dropping, can point to repeated strain around the inner elbow that is changing how your arm feels.

If your elbow hurts on the inside when you throw, you may first notice it as a sharp or aching spot that appears as your arm moves through the throw. You might be able to throw normally at first, but harder throws begin to hurt, your arm feels less free, and you cannot generate the same speed you normally expect.

The drop in speed is an important part of the pattern because you may be unconsciously easing off when the elbow hurts. Repeated throwing can keep stressing the inner elbow, making the area sore between throwing sessions and causing the same pain to return when you try to throw hard again.

Inside Elbow Pain Hits Harder On Your Throws

Your inner elbow hurts most when you try to throw with full speed.

You may feel the pain most clearly during the hardest part of the throw rather than during ordinary arm movements. When you back off the effort, the pain may be less noticeable, but trying to regain your normal speed brings it right back.

Your Throwing Speed Drops When Your Elbow Starts Hurting

Your arm no longer feels strong or comfortable enough to throw at your usual speed.

You may notice yourself holding back because the elbow feels painful, tight, or unreliable when you try to throw harder. If your speed has dropped along with persistent inner elbow pain, continuing to throw through it can keep the area aggravated instead of giving it time to settle.

Why Your Elbow Keeps Hurting During Throws

Your elbow has a hard time healing when blood flow and circulation are limited.

Tendons, ligaments, and other soft tissues naturally receive less blood supply than many other parts of the body. Because of this, they often take longer to heal after repeated stress or injury, leaving you more vulnerable to lingering pain and repeated irritation.

When circulation through the area remains limited, injured tissues have a harder time receiving the vital oxygen and nutrients they need to repair and heal. This can leave your elbow feeling stiff, tight, weak, or painful during everyday movement and activity.

What Can Help Your Elbow Feel Better

Your elbow starts feeling better when blood flow and circulation improve.

Chinese herbs have been used for centuries to promote healthy blood flow and circulation. Their medicinal properties help break up stagnant blood and fluids that remain trapped around injured tissues, interfering with circulation. As circulation improves, blood flows more freely through the area, allowing those tissues to receive the oxygen and nutrients they need to heal properly.

Topical herbal remedies made with these Chinese herbs can help relieve pain while improving blood flow and circulation to injured tissues. The right product depends on your symptoms and whether you're in the acute or chronic stage of recovery.

If you have pain, swelling, inflammation, or bruising, Acute Sinew Liniment helps relieve these symptoms by increasing circulation and dispersing stagnant blood and fluids around the injured area to speed recovery. During the acute stage of healing, getting circulation moving early allows injured tissues to receive the fresh blood, oxygen, and nutrients they need to repair and heal.

If your injured area is especially swollen, red, or warm to the touch after a recent injury or flare-up, Sinew Herbal Ice is also used to reduce swelling and inflammation while restoring normal circulation so you can quickly regain range of motion. While traditional ice is commonly used to reduce swelling, Sinew Herbal Ice acts as an ice alternative to reduce swelling and inflammation while also dispersing accumulated blood and fluids to speed the healing process.

If you no longer have swelling or inflammation, but still have pain, stiffness, weakness, or sensitivity in cold and damp weather, Chronic Sinew Liniment helps relieve these symptoms by strongly stimulating circulation and increasing blood supply to injured tendons and ligaments to promote their healing. This is especially important because tendons and ligaments naturally receive less blood supply, which is why chronic injuries can take longer to heal.

If you have residual pain and stiffness, or the area becomes more painful in cold weather, Sinew Injury Poultice is also used to significantly stimulate circulation to injured tendons and ligaments to further promote their healing. By strongly increasing circulation, it counteracts the reduced blood flow caused by cold weather that commonly aggravates chronic tendon and ligament injuries.

If you exercise, play sports, or do other strenuous activities, Sinew Sports Massage Oil warms and stimulates muscles for exertion and relieves muscle tightness and soreness after activity. Warming and preparing your muscles before activity can improve flexibility, enhance performance, and reduce the risk of injury.

Frequently Asked Questions

You may also find these commonly asked questions helpful.

Why does your inner elbow hurt when you throw?

Repeated throwing can strain structures on the inner side of your elbow, including the UCL and nearby muscles and tendons. Persistent pain should be evaluated rather than repeatedly pushed through.

Why are you losing throwing speed when your elbow hurts?

Pain can cause you to hold back during the throw, making it harder to produce your usual speed. A significant drop in throwing speed with elbow pain can also indicate an injury that needs evaluation.

Could your UCL be causing inner elbow pain when throwing?

A UCL injury can cause pain on the inner elbow during throwing, particularly when throwing hard. You cannot confirm a UCL injury from symptoms alone, so persistent pain should be assessed.

Should you keep throwing when your inner elbow hurts?

You should avoid throwing through persistent or worsening inner elbow pain, especially when your throwing speed has changed. Resting from painful throwing and getting the elbow evaluated can help prevent further aggravation.

When should you get inner elbow pain from throwing checked?

Have your elbow evaluated if pain keeps returning, your throwing speed is dropping, your arm feels weak, or you develop swelling, bruising, or difficulty using the arm normally.

The information provided here is intended to help you better understand your symptoms and recovery, but it is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Persistent, severe, or worsening symptoms should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare professional.