The Fast Cure For Tennis Elbow
Posted on July 13, 2016
Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis, is a painful condition of the elbow caused by overuse. Not surprisingly, playing tennis or other racquet sports can cause this condition. But several other sports and activities can also put you at risk.
Tennis elbow is an inflammation of the tendons that join the forearm muscles on the outside of the elbow. The forearm muscles and tendons become damaged from overuse repeating the same motions again and again. This leads to pain and tenderness on the outside of the elbow.
There are many treatment options for tennis elbow. In most cases, treatment involves a team approach. Primary doctors, physical therapists, and, in some cases, surgeons work together to provide the most effective care.
Topical Pain Relief For Tennis Elbow
Wherever possible, topical pain relieving creams and gels are used rather that oral pain killers. This is particularly true of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as oral NSAIDs can cause gastrointestinal side effects and, with long-term use, increase the risks of heart, liver and kidney problems.
A gold-standard Cochrane review found that topical NSAIDs were significantly more effective than placebo for treating tennis elbow, with the level of benefit gained rated as 7 on a scale of 0 to 10. Diclofenac gel is available from pharmacies as Voltarol Pain-eze.
Ive also used Polar Frost freezing gel and MSM cream and found them just as effective.
What Are Symptoms Of Tennis Elbow From Lifting Weights
Symptoms of tennis elbow from lifting include the following:
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Can Tennis Elbow Cause Permanent Elbow Pain
Yes, it possible for tennis elbow to cause permanent elbow pain – known as elbow tendinosis. Tendinosis is the deterioration of tendon collagen due to chronic repetitive stress injury – often a result of lifting weights. Tendinosis results in the loss of strength in the tendon and often lead to tendon tear or rupture. It’s necessary to treat the root cause of the pain to prevent permanent elbow pain.
How Are Tennis Elbow And Golfers Elbow Different
Remember how tennis elbow is technically called lateral epicondylitis? Lateral refers to the outer part of the elbow, whereas golfers elbow refers to the medial epicondyle tendon on the inner part of the elbow.
People with golfers elbow generally have inner elbow pain that radiates down the arm. Like tennis elbow, even people who do not golf can get golfers elbow.
A doctor can help you figure out the difference by doing X-rays or magnetic resonance imaging to show if there is damage to the tendons. Electromyography of the elbow joint might also show if nerve problems are causing pain.
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How Is Tennis Elbow Diagnosed
Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history. Theyâll check for pain in parts of your arm and ask you to do some simple motions such as cocking your wrist on an outstretched arm while they press on it.
Often, thatâs enough to tell if you have tennis elbow. If your doctor thinks there may be something else going on, you may get tests such as:
- Electromyography. This will help your doctor see whether you have a problem with the nerves in your elbow and how well and fast they send signals. It can also measure electrical activity in your muscles when theyâre at rest and when you contract them.
- MRI. This can find arthritis in your neck or problems in your back, such as a disk issue, that could cause pain in your elbow.
- X-ray. This can check for arthritis in your elbow.
Exercise : Shoulder Stretch
- Stand with your chest against the wall.
- Bend the affected arm so that your elbow is pointing up and your hand is touching the corresponding shoulder.
- With the opposite hand, press your wrist into your shoulder until you are pressing your upper arm against the wall. Youll feel a stretch in your shoulder area.
- Press forcefully until you reach between 8 and 9 on your personal pain scale.
- Hold for 2 minutes.
A golden set.
A regular routine can get you back in the swing of things. Perform our tennis elbow exercises twice a day, once in the morning and again in the evening, 6 days a week for 3 weeks. When your elbow pain subsides, you can stop exercising. If it persists, continue until the pain is alleviated.
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Massage And Dry Needling
Techniques such as massage and dry needling can be used to release tension around the arms, shoulders and upper back.
Muscles that have been overused over a long period of time often form knots or trigger points that can be palpated easily.
When tight, they can become a source of referred pain, with each muscle having a different area of referral .
Dry needling has the ability to get achieve a quicker and more effective deep release of the muscles. As tendons have quite poor blood supply, dry needling can also stimulate the deep blood flow and increase the healing process.
The effects of Dry Needling were studied in this new study that took 110 people with tennis elbow and evaluated two treatments.
One group received dry needling and other group received anti-inflammatory medication and a brace.
The patients were evaluated after three weeks and six months.
Results:
Although both treatment methods were effective at three weeks, dry needling was significantly more effective than the medication and brace group at six months.
Because of the low complication rate, dry needling is a safe method, and it might be a more effective treatment option for tennis elbow.
At Kinfolk Physio & Wellness, in addition to specialising in dry needling, we also take a holistic view of your movement and set you up with a personliased home exercise program that maintains flexibility and builds strength and capacity, to give the best long term solution.
Ways To Cure Tennis Elbow
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Supplements For Tennis Elbow
I used Healthspan glucosamine and chondroitin plus krill oil to treat my tendinitis . If my tennis elbow ever recurs, I would now also add LQ Liquid Joint Care supplements which were highly effective in treating my recent anterior cruciate knee ligament injury. These supply glucosamine, chondroitin, collagen, ginger and vitamin C to promote healing of joint tissues, including tendons.
Glucosamine, chondroitin and collagen provide building-blocks for repairing tendons and joints as well as providing an anti-inflammatory pain-killing actions.
Krill oil provides omega-3 fatty acids and powerful antioxidant pigments that have a marked anti-inflammatory pain-killing action. CLick here to read more about the benefits of krill oil.
Anti-inflammatory herbs such as bromelain, turmeric or ginger extracts are also effective.
Further Questions And Information On Tennis Elbow Recovery And Golfers Elbow Recovery
Tennis elbow and golfers elbow can be painful, annoying, debilitating, and can stop us from doing the activities we love. However, that doesnt mean it has to last forever.
How often should I do the exercises?
Complete the above exercises 3-4 days per week, preferably on non consecutive days . With a basic cases of tendonitis, this usually will do the trick.
Will I get sore from these exercises?
You will probably experience some soreness in the very beginning. This is normal. The trick is to differentiate between the phenomenon known as delayed onset muscle soreness , and pain. If you are experiencing light soreness in the muscles , then you are OK to continue. However, if you are experiencing worsening PAIN in the joints or tendons , you may have overdone it, or you may need to get it looked at by a professional. In this case, we do not recommend you continue.
How long should I do these exercises before calling a professional?
We recommend 4 weeks of the exercises. There are some exceptions to this. For instance, if the pain gets worse, we recommend to stop the activity and call your doctor or physical therapist.
When can I return to activity with tennis elbow or golfers elbow?
We hope that helps! Tennis and golfers elbow can be extremely annoying, but their treatment just requires patience and consistency. Youll get back to daily activity before you know it. Let us know in the comments if you have anything to add, or anything you would like us to cover next!
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Physiotherapy For Tennis Elbow
The GP may refer you to a physiotherapist if your tennis elbow is causing more severe or persistent pain. Physiotherapists are healthcare professionals who use a variety of methods to restore movement to injured areas of the body.
The physiotherapist may use manual therapy techniques, such as massage and manipulation, to relieve pain and stiffness, and encourage blood flow to your arm. They can also show you exercises you can do to keep your arm mobile and strengthen your forearm muscles.
The use of a brace, strapping, support bandage or splint may also be recommended in the short term.
Steroid Injections For Tennis Elbow
Steroids, medicines that contains synthetic versions of the hormone cortisol, are sometimes used to treat tennis elbow.
Some people with tennis elbow are offered steroid injections when other treatments have not worked.
The injection will be given directly into the painful area around the elbow. A local anaesthetic may be given first to numb the area and reduce the pain.
Steroid injections are only likely to give short-term relief and their long-term effectiveness is poor. If they’re helping, you may be offered up to 3 injections in the same area, with at least a 3- to 6-month gap between them.
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Things To Avoid For Tennis Elbow Treatment
× Elbow and Wrist Stretches that are Constant and Frequent.
Yes, I know your elbow feels tight. When you have tightness you might assume that stretching is that solution. However, with tennis elbow, constant and frequent wrist and elbow stretching is not the solution.
If youre hammering those wrist and elbow stretches every day youre doing more harm than good. Thats because when you stretch youre actually pulling and stressing the tendon attachment of your forearm muscles instead of letting the area heal. Mild stretching may be okay and provide some temporary relief, but you have to be careful not to overdo it when youre dealing with tennis elbow.
Stretching these muscles wont loosen them up when theyre irritated, traumatized and or inflamed. They need relief from tension and not an increase in tension to allow the healing process to happen.
× Resting Your Elbow and Wrist as Much as Possible.
Completely avoiding using your elbow and lower arm is not a good idea. Your arm needs to move to encourage better blood flow to the area to help with healing. Using these muscles in a low load capacity is good for the healing process. Immobilizing them is typically only the right thing to do if you have a fracture or have just had surgery.
× Using an Elbow Sleeve.
Tennis Elbow Test #: Maudsleys Test
- Start with your elbow bent by your side and palm facing the ground
- Straighten and spread the fingers apart
- Use one finger from your other hand to push down on your middle finger and resist the push
If pressing causes pain in the lateral epicondyle region, its a positive sign for tennis elbow. This also suggests that a specific extensor muscle extensor digitorum is involved.
Heres another test that gives a little more info
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What Does Tennis Elbow Surgery Cost
The cost of tennis elbow surgery can vary widely depending on where in the United States you live and if youre insured. It is frequently covered by insurance or Medicare, though your plan may require your doctor to deem it medically necessary before covering it.
Without health insurance, this surgery can run from $10,000 to $16,000 though of course prices can vary dramatically between surgeons and locations.
With health insurance, the price will frequently be 30 percent of what it would be if you were paying for it yourself plus the cost of copays. Its best to contact the clinic or medical professional youre interested in for an estimate if you have concerns about cost.
Tennis Elbow Surgery Recovery Timeline
While elbow arthroscopy offers shorter recovery periods, anyone undergoing tennis elbow surgery regardless of the surgical method recommended should be prepared for both an initial recovery period and extended recovery time to regain full range of motion and joint strength through physical therapy.
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Stretches For Tennis Elbow
So, one way to get rid of tennis elbow is to stretch!
Forearm extensor stretch: Extend your arm out in front of you, palm down, and use your other hand to gently push the back of the extended hand back toward you while keeping your arm at the same level. Hold for thirty seconds and repeat three times.
Tennis Elbow Stretch
What Causes Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow is related to repeated, excessive extension of the wrist a movement that is involved in gripping any wielded item too tightly, including a tennis racquet, paintbrush, hammer or screwdriver.
In my case, tennis elbow resulted from carrying heavy shopping bags up a hill three times a week. Unfortunately, it affected both my elbows at the same time so I needed to find approaches that cure tennis elbow fast. I learned my lesson, and now also use shopping bags with shoulder straps rather than carrying them in my hands.
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How Can I Prepare Myself For The Operation
If you smoke, stopping smoking now may reduce your risk of developing complications and will improve your long-term health.
Try to maintain a healthy weight. You have a higher risk of developing complications if you are overweight. Regular exercise should help to prepare you for the operation, help you to recover and improve your long-term health. Before you start exercising, ask the healthcare team or your GP for advice.
If you have not had the coronavirus vaccine, you may be at an increased risk of serious illness related to COVID-19 while you recover. Speak to your doctor or healthcare team if you would like to have the vaccine.
Three: Are Trigger Points Contributing To Your Tennis Elbow
Trigger points are very common
The same repeated activities that stress the elbow also cause trigger points to develop, so trigger points are practically always a problem with tennis elbow, but we still check.
Referring pain
In the last step you may have found that pressing on a trigger point shoots pain to your elbow. If this is so, even if your elbow heals the trigger points will continue to cause elbow pain.
Does treating the trigger points relieve the tennis elbow.
To do this you:
If treating the trigger points has reduced the symptoms, tenderness or the amount of pain the stress tests produce that means that tension caused by trigger points is pulling on your elbow.
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Success Rate And Outlook Of Tennis Elbow Surgery
According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons , roughly 80 to 90 percent of tennis elbow surgeries performed are effective at improving range of motion and reducing pain associated with the condition. However, there is a smaller percentage of people that do require additional surgery to further treat the pain.
Top 5 Tennis Elbow Exercises In 5 Minutes Or Less
Sarah Deboer
Physiotherapist, Concussion Rehabilitation
Tennis elbow or lateral epicondylitis can cause intense, searing pain on the outside of your elbow that is stubborn and limits your activities. But luckily, there are many simple tennis elbow exercises to help you feel better! Despite the name, you can get it without ever playing tennis. Other causes are
However, it is easy to treat with these 5 tennis elbow exercises, in as little as 5 minutes per day.
Not sure if you have tennis elbow? to learn more!
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