Tennis Elbow
Tennis Elbow Treatment Carnegie
Even a pro may develop painful tennis elbow.
What is Tennis Elbow?
Lateral epicondylitis, commonly referred to as tennis elbow, is an overuse injury of the common extensor tendon that attaches to your elbow joint. The pain you may experience may be localised to the lateral side of your elbow, or it may radiate up your arm and down the outside of your forearm. You may have also noticed some weakness in your injured arm and wrist compared to your non-injured side.
In the early stages of the injury, the tendon may be inflamed. The longer the symptoms are present, the greater the changes that occur in the tendon itself, which may alter the structural integrity of the muscle and impact how it functions.
GLEN EIRA PHYSIOTHERAPY
Causes of Tennis Elbow
As the name suggests, tennis elbow is often caused by playing tennis. Your forearm muscles, which attach to the outside of your elbow, may become sore or even damaged from the excessive strain that this sport places on them.
Common causes of tennis elbow include:
- Incorrect backhand stroke
- Weak shoulder and wrist muscles
- Using a tennis racket that is too short or strung too tightly
- Hitting the ball off-centre on the racket, or hitting wet balls
- Playing other racquet sports (such as racquetball or squash)
- Other sports that require repetitive movements (such as fencing or weightlifting)
It is not only tennis players who can develop elbow pain, however. Any repetitive movement has the ability to cause damage to the extensor tendon and forearm muscles. Other causes include:
- Painting with a roller or brush
- Using a chainsaw
- Frequent use of other hand tools
- Sewing or knitting
- Typing and using a mouse
- Professions that involve repetitive motions (such as butchers, musicians, dentists, carpenters, and auto workers)
Symptoms of Tennis Elbow
The main symptom of tennis elbow is pain and tenderness in the bony knob on the outside of the elbow joint (where tendons connect to the bone). It may range from mild discomfort when you move your arm to severe pain, even while your arm is at rest. Over time, the pain may also radiate into the upper or lower arm and down into the wrist.
Other symptoms that you may experience include:
- Tenderness, redness, or swelling in the elbow
- Elbow stiffness
- Difficulty fully straightening the arm
- A lump or bulge in the elbow or arm
- A weak grip
Keep in mind that the pain associated with tennis elbow will usually worsen over time, so it’s recommended that you seek treatment sooner rather than later.
If you suspect that you’ve developed tennis elbow, the team at
Glen Eira Physiotherapy aims to help!
Treatment Available for Tennis Elbow
While lateral epicondylitis will usually improve after resting for a few weeks, it’s a good idea to see a physiotherapist if the pain persists, if it’s severe, or if you suspect that injury is not the underlying cause.
When it comes to treating tennis elbow, your physiotherapist may recommend soft tissue massage, stretching and strengthening exercises for the wrist and forearm, manual therapy, mobilisation, physiotherapy, and ultrasound therapy (where high-frequency sound waves are used in an effort to increase blood flow to the injured area).
There are also things that you can do at home, including:
- Avoiding or reducing activities that cause pain
- Taking pain relief and anti-inflammatory medications
- Hot or cold packs on the affected area
- Wrapping the elbow in a compression bandage
If, after six to 12 months, you’re still experiencing elbow pain, surgery may be recommended.
Your Tennis Elbow Questions Answered
A physiotherapist will generally be able to diagnose tennis elbow during a physical examination, which includes taking down your history and circumstances of the injury, but they may require additional tests to rule out other possible causes. These may include an x-ray, MRI, or electromyography (EMG).
While the time taken to recover will depend entirely on the underlying cause and severity, the pain will subside for most people within two weeks and they’ll make a full recovery in four to six weeks. It’s advisable to continue with treatment for six to eight weeks to prevent the pain from returning.
Failing to receive tennis elbow treatment can lead to the pain worsening and even becoming a chronic condition. Self-treating via pain management rather than seeing a physiotherapist may also increase the likelihood that the pain will last for months or even years.
While this is an injury that can affect anyone, it is most common amongst people over 40 who play sports that involve repetitive wrist motions (such as tennis and squash) or who work in professions that involve repetitive wrist motions (such as carpenters and dentists).
No, they’re completely different conditions and are treated in completely different ways. While tennis elbow is a result of repetitive wrist motions, golfer’s elbow has more to do with the bending of the joint. If you’re unsure, a physio aims to help you to determine which injury you have.
Why Choose Glen Eira Physiotherapy?
25+ Years Experience
We have providing our patients with comprehensive care for more than 25 years now with a reputation for being a leading practice in SE Melbourne.
Personalised Care
Here at Glen Eira Physiotherapy, your care is completely tailored to your needs and is built around your preferences, goals, and specific conditions.
Multidisciplinary Approach
We are a multidisciplinary clinic that is dedicated to providing high-quality care to our patients and getting them back on their feet quickly.
Preventing Tennis Elbow
If you play sports or work in a profession that requires repetitive hand and wrist movements, there are many things you can do to prevent the likelihood of developing tennis elbow. These include:
- Ensuring that your arms are strong and flexible
- Avoiding repetitive arm and wrist movements where possible
- Avoiding bending or straightening your arm all the way
- Avoiding working with a bent wrist – keep it straight if possible
- Holding tools with a looser grip to take some of the tension away
- Stretching and warming up before sports and physical activity
- Ensuring that you’re using equipment suited to your height and weight
Get Your Powerful Serve Back with Glen Eira Physiotherapy
Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) is a type of tendinitis that causes pain in the elbow and arm as a result of repetitive arm movements (such as when playing tennis and other racket sports, as well as many professions). No two injuries are the same, so it’s important that you seek advice from one of the qualified physiotherapists at Glen Eira Physiotherapy when treating tennis elbow – we will assess what factors are attributing to your condition and aim to devise a treatment plan to suit.
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