Reading Chiropractor, Beccy Norman
Wimbledon is in full swing, so could there be any better time to talk about tennis elbow? Tennis elbow, also known as lateral epicondylitis is a common condition. It doesn’t just affect tennis players (although 50% of tennis players will experience it as some point) but can affect anyone. In fact the vast majority of people who experience this painful condition will never pick up a tennis racquet in their lives! Most people are at risk, especially those who spend a lot of time using computers, other repetitive manual actions, and even chiropractors, writes Reading Chiropractor Beccy Norman.
What is tennis elbow?
Tennis elbow, also known as lateral epicondylitis is what’s called an overuse injury. The extensor muscle experiences micro tears within the muscle belly which In turn creates pain and inflammation. The muscle is also perhaps more at risk of irritation and damage because of its location. It rubs over the bony parts of the elbow which can cause gradual wear and tear.
Symptoms you are most likely to experience If you have tennis elbow are:
- Pain on the outside of your upper forearm just below the bend in the elbow.
- Pain when trying to grip small objects or twist things such as opening a jar .
- Pain that slowly worsens over weeks or months.
- General feeling of weakness when trying to grip things.
Who’s at risk of Tennis Elbow?
- People who participate in sports that require a repetitive use of the forearm muscle. This can be athletes or
people that participate in sport on a more recreational basis, as anyone can suffer a sports injury. - Painters, plumbers and carpenters are also another group, due to the repetitive nature of their work that tend to be prone to getting tennis elbow.
- In recent years we are also seeing an increase in people who spend a lot of time on their desk, particularly using a mouse a lot tend to also be prone.
- Occasionally tennis elbow can be due to trauma following a direct blow to the elbow.
What to do?
- Activity modification and rest– sounds straightforward but trying to rest from whatever activity seems to aggravate the arm is imperative and if it’s the way you work, looking at ways to modify the way you work.
- Ice – A lot of the pain is due to inflammation, which is a heat reaction. This means ice is great for reducing this and therefore the pain.
- Stretches – with an outstretched arm, pull the wrist down to feel a stretch near the elbow.
- Come and see us at Reflex Spinal Health!
How can we help your Tennis Elbow?
The good news is that 80- 95% of cases resolve without surgical treatment! Within our centre there are numerous ways we can help with this condition. It is always important to work out why the extensor is being overworked. Quite often this can be due to dysfunction in the shoulder or very commonly in the neck! In fact we find it is very unusual to NOT find a functional problem in the neck in people with tennis elbow symptoms. These restrictions can be easily improved with chiropractic or osteopathic care. We are also able to give you exercises and stretches to ease the pain.
The state-of-the-art Class IV K-Laser in our centre is also an excellent modality in the treatment of tennis elbow. The laser works by reducing inflammation in the area and promotes healing within the tissues. To learn about K Laser therapy in Reading, Berkshire, please check out the K-Laser page on our website!
If you feel like you might have tennis elbow then please don’t hesitate to give us a call and book a FREE 15-minute spinal check to see if we can help, or simply book in for your New Patient Consultation.
