| What is it? Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis, is a painful condition caused by overuse/ repetitive strain of the forearm muscles – leading to small tears and inflammation in the tendons around the outer part of the elbow. Despite its name, it can affect anyone who performs repetitive wrist movements, such as manual workers, office employees, and athletes. Symptoms typically include pain, weakness, and tenderness in the elbow and forearm, making simple tasks like gripping objects, shaking hands, lifting the kettle, or turning a key difficult. Which treatments are helpful? A combination of hands-on techniques and rehabilitation strategies has been shown to be helpful. This can include: Soft tissue therapies: Deep friction massage and instrument-assisted techniques, help break down scar tissue and improve blood flow to speed up healing. Dry needling: to relieve muscle tightness Kinesiology taping: can support the affected muscles and reduce strain during daily activities. Exercise prescription: is crucial in strengthening the forearm muscles and improving flexibility, ensuring long-term relief and injury prevention. Joint manipulation and mobilisation of the elbow, wrist, and even the neck/ upper back can help improve movement and reduce strain. There is a large body of evidence supporting Shock Wave Therapy (SWT) as one of the most effective treatments for tennis elbow. It is effective for both short-term and medium-term pain relief and grip strength recovery, and is recommended over injection therapies due to its superior outcomes in these domains.Very excitingly – Our clinic now offers SWT! |
| There is now much evidence against the use of corticosteroid injections for tennis elbow. Although there may be initial relief of pain, it has been shown to be detrimental to the overall tendon health. In some rare, stubborn cases, further help can be found in Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, which your Chiro can refer you for if necessary. Your Chiropractor will be able to prescribe the best combination of treatments mentioned above, in order to ensure you have lasting results. |
