Spring has sprung, so a lot of us will be hitting the tennis courts to participate in some fun outdoor activity! Unfortunately after hitting that racket too many times, you can develop an is that is called tennis elbow or also known as lateral epicondylitis.
What is tennis elbow?
It is a painful elbow disorder. Tennis elbow is the weakening of the tendons which join your forearm muscles to your bones and the disorder causes quite a lot of discomfort. This can occur when you work your elbow too often by repetitive or strenuous activities and it is less likely to be from simply just playing tennis which only accounts for 5-10% of cases but more from activities such as gardening, painting, or using a chainsaw.
What kind of pain does tennis elbow appear as?
In the area where your forearm meets your elbow, pain can radiate from the outside of your elbow to either your forearm or wrist and this can be indicative of tennis elbow.
Can I find relief at home?
Yes, you can start your recovery at home before you come in! Make sure to stop the activity that caused this pain and rest up your arm. If needed, take pain medications as per directed by its instructions, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. You can also try an NSAID cream for your tennis elbow. It is extremely important to ensure you read and follow all instructions as directed on the label to make sure you’re taking them safely. You can also use heat or cold packs for 10 to 15 minutes at a time, several times a day but not intervals longer than this as it can further irritate the area even though it feels better. When icing your tennis elbow, make sure to have a thin cloth between the ice and your skin. You can also wear a counter force brace when you need to grasp or twist something as this may help ease the pressure on your tennis elbow and better distribute the force throughout your arm.
How can your physiotherapist alleviate the pain from your tennis elbow?
Firstly we’d assess and diagnose that cause is actually tennis elbow from a thorough assessment of your elbow. In the clinic, we will determine the best hands on treatment to ease your pain such as soft tissue mobilizations, soft tissue release, deep tendon friction, massage, shock-wave treatment, IMS or even more treatment options to help you on the road to your recovery. Recovery doesn’t end in the clinic. Therefore we’ll also assign you appropriate exercises for pain relief, give you patient education about your tennis elbow, educate you on bracing, appropriate times to ice or heat the areas, and proper positioning to avoid for some time to allow for your recovery.
Make an appointment!
Don’t suffer with pain, make an appointment to get you on the road to recovery! Our physiotherapists are thoroughly educated in the proper ways to get you closer to 100%!
Book a consultation today: https://vancityphysio.com/ And follow us on Instagram: VanCity Physio (@vancityphysiotherapy)
