Have you been dealing with an annoying ache in the back of your forearm and elbow after every tennis game you play? Have you noticed that ache turns to severe pain every time you bang into something? Are you frustrated now that your elbow hurts just lifting a cup or even holding a pencil or pen? The pain you are experiencing is likely tennis elbow. Rather than hope it goes away, it’s time to get it assessed!
Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylosis) has been shown to affect up to 50% of all tennis players. Most players develop symptoms due to poor swing technique, repetitive swinging/hitting, improper grip, poorly strung racquet strings, or heavy racquet use. Fortunately, most people with tennis elbow can recover fully with proper rehab and guidance.
As with most tendon-related injuries, the key is understanding the balance between if and when to reduce load versus when to reinstate and progress the amount of load and effort for lasting results. Total rest and avoidance of the issue will likely lead to poor results and frustration.
At Rose City Physical Therapy and Hand Therapy Specialists, our physical therapists are highly skilled at treating tennis elbow and any other tennis injury. We provide a patient-first, results-focused approach to physical and hand therapy. We use the most advanced treatments to resolve your condition and a pain-free return to function quickly.
Request an appointment today and get relief sooner than later!
Common causes and risk factors for tennis elbow
Tennis elbow is one of the most frequent causes of elbow pain. The pain starts when the forearm muscles/tendons become damaged from overuse or excessive strain. As this condition advances, it becomes an injury resulting in inflammation and micro-tearing of the tendons in the forearm.
Not everyone who plays tennis gets tennis elbow, but it is one of the most common injuries, no matter your experience and skill level. Tennis elbow can start from minor issues like a racquet with the wrong sized grip or playing with a different racquet (different size, weight, or balance). For others, the problem is from the enormous tension and stress on the muscles in the forearm, especially with a single-handed backhand stroke.
Too often, tennis players assume some soreness is normal. Unfortunately, this waiting results in the condition persisting, or for some, getting worse. It is also common for people to falsely believe that rest will help the situation. Resting a tendon has been shown to delay recovery at best and weaken the tendon making it more susceptible to further damage at worst.
Tendons are designed to withstand large forces, and avoiding use can limit a tendons tolerance to regular activity. The longer a tendon is rested, the more fragile it becomes. This often frustrates the patient because pain with minor activities leads them to incorrectly assume they are still doing too much, so they rest even more.
This is where our physical and hand therapists can make a big difference! They can teach you how to safely use and strengthen your tendon to keep it healthy and strong while it heals. The complexities of this area require an understanding of the unique actions the injured muscle and tendon generate. In addition, we will help guide you through the components needed to return safely and successfully back to full participation!
What to expect at your physical therapy appointments
At Rose City Physical Therapy and Hand Therapy Specialists, we will conduct a thorough evaluation that includes learning how long you have dealt with your pain or injury (i.e., acute vs. overuse/chronic). Will will also conduct a thorough history to learn more about previous injuries, rehabilitation strategies, and successes and failures with past therapies.
We will design an active rehabilitation program to effectively resolve your condition and restore your function using this information. Our team will use evidence-based modalities and manual therapy techniques to provide pain relief, restore mobility, and increase blood flow to assist the healing process in the early stages.
Next, our team will build strength by “loading” the injured area. Loading means the cumulative amount of exercise you’re doing in a given period. We can progress loading by adding repetitions, sets, resistance, duration, and speed. Research supports that it’s not the type of load one completes, but the magnitude and act of loading a tendon that provides optimal outcomes. The goal of tendon rehabilitation is to gradually progress the exercises to challenge the tendon without irritating it further. As your tendon gets stronger, it can handle the forces needed to resume sports, including tennis.
In addition, we can guide you on how to modify your technique, grip, racquet size and/or weight, and string tension to improve your performance so that you can resume activities that have provoked you in the past. Rather than avoid using your arm, we take a proactive approach so you fully recover and continue all activities pain-free!
Request an appointment at Rose City Physical Therapy and Hand Therapy Specialists today!
Our team of physical therapists are experts at treating tennis elbow. We have proven success with tennis players and can help you too!
Call today to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists!