Melissa (not her real name) was an avid tennis player–at least until she began experiencing a sharp pain in her right elbow. She couldn’t grip her racket correctly, and her game suffered as a result. But Melissa discovered physiotherapy for tennis elbow and found lasting relief!
Tennis elbow (also known by its medical name, lateral epicondylitis) is a common condition that causes pain around the outside of the elbow. You don’t have to be a tennis player like Melissa to develop it–any repetitive motions in the wrist and forearm can do the trick. Painters, plumbers, and carpenters are all at an increased risk as well.
The good news is that tennis elbow is relatively easy to manage with physiotherapy, as Melissa discovered. Using a blend of manual therapy techniques and targeted exercise, the team at Ace Physique helped Melissa find relief. Within a few weeks of beginning treatment, she could return to the tennis court, armed with strategies to help prevent a future occurrence.
Curious to learn more about physiotherapy for tennis elbow? Keep reading for an overview of how our Calgary, AB-based physiotherapists treat the condition.
Understanding the Causes and Symptoms of Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow is an example of an overuse injury. Unlike acute injuries, which occur due to sudden trauma (for example, rolling your ankle and spraining it), overuse injuries gradually develop over time due to repeated strain on a particular tissue. In the case of tennis elbow, the strain affects the tendons in the forearm, causing tiny tears that lead to pain and inflammation.
Tennis elbow symptoms generally develop gradually. You’ll first notice them while performing activities that use your wrist and forearm. If left untreated, the pain can become persistent and weaken your grip or forearm strength.
So, what does tennis elbow pain feel like? It occurs on the outside of the elbow and may be burning, aching, or tender to the touch. You might also experience restricted mobility in the elbow.
Treating Tennis Elbow with Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy aims to resolve tennis elbow by addressing the underlying cause of the injury. This means pinpointing why you developed tennis elbow in the first place and then correcting the issue. However, we’ll also help resolve your symptoms so you can safely return to the activities you love.
For this reason, your first visit will include a detailed assessment of your symptoms, including several movement screens to test the strength and mobility of your arm and elbow. We’ll also talk to you about your daily activities, look for any biomechanical issues that might have contributed to your injury, and take a complete health history.
From there, we’ll develop a tailored treatment plan that pulls from several different interventions, including the following:
Pain Management
- We can help with immediate pain management using various pain-relieving modalities, such as ultrasound therapy or cryotherapy.
Manual Therapy
- Manual therapy can also help with pain management and improve elbow mobility. Techniques we might use include guiding your elbow through its current range of motion or manipulating the tendons and muscles in your forearm.
Targeted Exercises
- We’ll show you personalized exercises to improve mobility in your forearm muscles and tendons and build strength in the muscles around your elbow, which reduces the strain on your tendons.
Prevention Strategies
- After we resolve your current case of tennis elbow, we’ll identify strategies to help prevent it from developing again. These might include cross-training programs or tips for varying movements so you don’t stress your forearm tendons.
Physiotherapy for Tennis Elbow: We’ve Got You Covered!
Tennis elbow may be a common condition, but it’s not one you have to live with! Physiotherapy for tennis elbow will help you find relief and, more importantly, teach you how to avoid future elbow pain.
Ready to get started? Schedule an appointment with Ace Physique today!
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