ELBOW CARE The elbow can become painful from a variety of causes including tendonitis, bursitis, arthritis, sprains, fractures and dislocations. Chronic stress and strain can cause painful tendonitis such as tennis elbow. Chronic use can cause scar to entrap the ulnar nerve (the funny bone) which can cause elbow pain as well as numbness in the ring and small fingers of the hand. An orthopaedic surgeon is trained to sort through all of the symptoms and find the correct diagnosis. Once the origin of the problem is identified, a proper treatment plan can be initiated to resolve and cure the problem.