Physical Therapy for Tennis Elbow: Benefits and Techniques
Have you noticed burning pain on the outside of your elbow or wrist? Is it hard for you to grip objects? You may have developed tennis elbow–even if you’ve never picked up a tennis racket. Fortunately, physical therapy at UNIQ Physical Therapy offers comprehensive tennis elbow treatment!
We know upper extremity pain can be difficult. You use your arms and hands for all sorts of tasks, so everyday activities become much more challenging when they hurt. Tennis elbow–also known by its medical name, lateral epicondylitis–is one of the more common sources of elbow and forearm pain.
It’s important to remember that you don’t have to be a tennis player to develop tennis elbow. Its name refers to the fact it’s an overuse injury caused by repetitive motions in the elbow and wrist, which are common in tennis and other racquet sports. However, anyone who performs similar motions is at risk, including painters, carpenters, and plumbers.
However, no matter the reason you developed tennis elbow, physical therapy offers effective solutions to ease the pain and restore strength to your elbow. You can find relief and regain your normal function with tailored exercises and expert guidance.
Think you might have developed tennis elbow? Keep reading to learn more about the condition and the UNIQ Physical Therapy approach to tennis elbow treatment.
A Deep Dive Into Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow is an overuse injury that affects the tendons in your elbow. Repeated motions strain the tendons and cause them to become inflamed. The medical name for tennis elbow lets you know which specific tendon is affected–in this case, it’s the tendon on the lateral, or outside, side. (When you have pain on the inside of your elbow, it’s called golfer’s elbow, or medial epicondylitis).
Recognizing that you’ve developed tennis elbow is crucial for getting the right treatment.
Signs of Tennis Elbow
- Pain or burning on the outer part of your elbow
- Weak grip strength, especially when shaking hands or turning a doorknob
- Discomfort when lifting objects or bending your arm
- Stiffness in the morning or after periods of rest
- Pain that radiates from the outside of your elbow down to your forearm and wrist
People develop tennis elbow mainly because they frequently perform activities that involve repeated use of the wrist and arm, whether due to their work or choice of physical activities. Age can also be a factor; the condition is most common in adults between 30 and 50 years old.
Effective Tennis Elbow Treatments with Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is one of the best ways to address tennis elbow. It can help you resolve your pain now and avoid developing it in the future.
We’ll start with a thorough assessment to understand your specific needs. During this assessment, we’ll evaluate your pain levels, range of motion, and strength. We’ll also learn about your daily activities, hobbies, and work.
This individualized approach ensures that the tennis elbow treatment you receive is the most effective for your needs. We’ll then create a personalized treatment plan pulled from several different techniques to help reduce pain and improve function:
Pain Management
- First up, we’ll help manage your acute pain. We’ll do this through hands-on techniques like soft tissue manipulation, elbow mobilization, or treatment modalities like electrical stimulation. These techniques can also help restore mobility.
Therapeutic Exercises
- Next, we’ll guide you through specific exercises to strengthen the muscles and tendons in your forearm. These exercises help reduce acute pain, improve mobility, and prevent future occurrences of tennis elbow.
Lifestyle Tips
- Finally, we can show you how to modify your activities and use ergonomic work tools to prevent elbow strain.
Get Your Personalized Tennis Elbow Treatment Plan Today
The team at UNIQ Physical Therapy has extensive training and expertise to help you say goodbye to tennis elbow. If you’re ready to take the next step toward relief, call our (town) clinic today to set up an initial appointment.
