Tennis Elbow Osteopathic Treatment: Causes and Symptoms
- MPR Health
- December 15, 2022
Do you love hitting the court for a game of tennis, but find yourself struggling with elbow pain?
You may be experiencing the unpleasant effects of tennis elbow. This common condition, also known as lateral epicondylitis, is caused by overuse of the muscles in your forearm that control wrist and finger movement.
But don’t let that put a damper on your love for the game! With the help of osteopathy, you can find relief and get back to your passion.
Keep reading to learn more about tennis elbow, its symptoms, and how osteopathy can help.
Table of Contents
What is Tennis Elbow?
If you’re an avid tennis player, you may be all too familiar with the frustrating effects of tennis elbow. Also known as lateral epicondylitis, this condition affects the tendons in your elbow and is caused by repetitive movements and overuse. Symptoms include pain and tenderness on the outer side of your elbow, which can make it difficult to perform everyday tasks.
While anyone can develop tennis elbow, those who engage in sports that require frequent arm swinging, like tennis, are at an increased risk. If you’re experiencing pain on one side of your elbow joint, it’s important to visit an osteopath for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.
Remember, taking care of yourself and your health is key to being able to enjoy all the activities you love, like hitting the tennis court.
Causes Tennis Elbow
Repetitive stress on the forearm tendons and overuse of the forearm muscles can lead to tennis elbow. Overuse often happens when you perform repeated movements of your wrist or fingers. For example, you might develop tennis elbow if you use your right hand to lift heavy weight repeatedly without giving it a break by alternating.
Tennis elbow is very common in people who play racquet sports such as tennis or racquetball. It’s also common in people who perform repetitive tasks with their hands and wrists (such as computer work). Still, this strain can affect even those who aren’t necessarily engaged in these activities all day long!
Common Symptoms of Tennis Elbow
The most common tennis elbow symptoms include:
- Pain in the elbow joint
- Pain in the forearm
- Pain in the upper arm
- Tenderness on the outside of your elbow.
- Dull ache at your elbow when at rest.
- Pain when gripping objects with your hands, like a tennis racquet or opening a jar
Osteopathic Treatment for Tennis Elbow
Osteopathic treatment for tennis elbow is a holistic and effective approach that focuses on the body’s ability to heal itself.
Osteopaths take a comprehensive view of the body, considering all its muscles, bones, and joints, and use gentle pressure to decrease muscular tension and alleviate pain. In treating tennis elbow, osteopaths will consider the underlying cause of the condition, rather than just focusing on its symptoms.
They may also take a detailed history of the patient’s symptoms and injury to help determine the most effective course of treatment. Overall, osteopathy can be an effective way to find relief from the pain and discomfort of the tennis elbow.
Who are the common people we see with Tennis Elbow?
Tennis elbow is a common condition, and the people who are most commonly affected by it include:
- People who do repetitive movements at work, especially those involving gripping or bending. This includes factory workers, gardeners, plumbers and painters.
- People who use the computer for long hours (several hours per day).
- People who participate in racquet sports like tennis, squash, and badminton.
Benefits of Osteopathic Treatment for Tennis Elbow
Osteopathic treatment for tennis elbow is a non-surgical, non-invasive treatment that helps reduce pain and inflammation, increase range of motion, increase strength and endurance and treat the underlying causes of the condition.
Osteopathic techniques can treat pain associated with tennis elbow by promoting blood flow to the affected area. The goal is to increase blood flow through gentle stretching or massage action on the muscle fibres to increase circulation.
This allows nutrients into your tissues so they can repair themselves faster than they would without treatment.
How many osteopath visits are required for tennis elbow treatment?
The number of osteopathic visits required for effective treatment of tennis elbow can vary depending on the severity of your condition. In some cases, a few visits may be sufficient to find relief, while others may require a longer course of treatment over a few months.
No matter what, your osteopath will work with you to manage your condition and help you find relief from pain and discomfort. Your osteopath will assess your condition and determine the appropriate course of treatment, including how long it may take to see improvements in pain level or function.
What to do if you have Tennis Elbow?
If you have tennis elbow, the best thing to do is to give relative rest to the affected area. If your elbow is painful and tender, apply an ice pack several times during the day. This will help reduce pain and swelling. If you have tennis elbow and can still load your arm without pain, you may be able to exercise the muscles around your elbow to strengthen them while they heal.
Tennis elbow can also be prevented by encouraging good management of forearm usage when playing tennis or other sports that involve repetitive wrist movements, such as golf or racket sports. It would help if you had efficient technique when playing these sports so that you don’t strain your wrists unnecessarily.
If your symptoms are continuing, then see an osteopath who has experience treating tennis elbow patients as soon as possible because they may be able to help identify why it is happening and which treatment will work best in your case.
What's not to do if you have Tennis Elbow?
It’s important to avoid certain things if you want a good recovery from your tennis elbow. These include:
- Thinking the elbow will get better by pushing through the discomfort. While this may feel good during the activity, it can be painful afterwards.
- Taking an anti-inflammatory medication when not recommended. These medications can mask the pain, but they do nothing at all to heal the injured tissue underneath – they just keep it from hurting so much while doing nothing else!
- Using a wrist brace or other supports without consulting with an osteopath. These can sometimes provide temporary relief, but they can also restrict movement and make the condition worse in the long run. It’s best to consult with an osteopath before using any supports or braces.
What can you do in-between visits to the osteopaths to alleviate tennis elbow pain and aid recovery?
Once you’ve been diagnosed with tennis elbow, you can do the following to help your recovery:
- Apply ice to the affected area. This will help reduce inflammation and swelling, which will, in turn, help to ease your pain.
- Avoid activities that aggravate your injury. This will vary from person to person, but as a general rule, it’s best not to use the injured arm during long periods of aggravating activities.
- If possible, avoid any repetitive motions that aggravate your condition (for example: if you’re a cashier at a supermarket who spends their day scanning items all day long).
- Resting is important, too – try not doing much at first but gradually increase activity over time once the pain has subsided. This is particularly important if there are no issues in other areas like work or home life where rest isn’t an option!
Why choose MPR Health for Tennis Elbow Osteopathic Treatment
If you’re struggling with tennis elbow, we understand how frustrating and painful it can be. If you’ve tried medications but aren’t providing the relief you need, it may be time to consider other treatments.
At MPR Health, we offer expert osteopathic treatment for tennis elbow. Our trained osteopaths use various techniques, including muscle manipulation and massage, to help reduce pain and improve function.
We’ve successfully treated many patients with tennis elbow at our clinic in the North Shore and Sydney area, so why not book an appointment today?
We’ll work with you to find the best course of treatment to help you find relief from your pain.
Conclusion
We hope we’ve given you a better understanding of tennis elbow and how osteopathic methods can treat it. Many people suffer from this condition, but the good news is that many effective treatments are also available. If you feel that your elbow pain has worsened over time and none of your normal treatments is working, then it might be worth visiting an osteopath to see if they could help with treatment.
We're ready when you are
Our North Shore Osteopaths are here to help you with your pain so you can get back to living your best life without worrying about pain.
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