Effective Ways to Relieve Tennis Elbow

Before we explore different methods on how to get rid of tennis elbow, let’s first discuss its causes and symptoms. Tennis elbow is a repetitive strain injury known as lateral epicondylosis – meaning its outer part when standing with arms at sides – often caused by overuse of forearm muscles that straighten fingers and wrists which results in pain in both elbow and forearm that comes and goes over time.

Over time, overuse can damage tendons – fibrous cords connecting muscles to bones or other muscles – at the elbow. Swollen and inflamed tendon may become attached at this site and simple movements such as shaking hands or turning doorknobs may lead to moderate to acute pain; tennis elbow pain affects men and women equally equally but most commonly affects those aged 30-50 years.

What Causes Tennis Elbow? Lateral epicondylosis, commonly referred to as tennis elbow, is one of the most prevalent arm disorders that can lead to significant reduction in movement and function. When exposed to sports or repetitive everyday activities that irritate and inflame this part of their elbow bone, irritation occurs and inflammation ensues – often without ever playing tennis in their lives! Common activities causing tennis elbow include gardening, using scissors, carrying heavy briefcases, using handsaws or swinging hammers among many more!

Estimates suggest that less than three percent of the world’s population suffers from tennis elbow, with five percent playing tennis as the cause. Most commonly seen among tennis players due to using an incorrect tennis racquet or improper backhand stroke – an overtightened string can increase force on an arm while using incorrect parts of a racquet could also contribute.

Tennis elbow symptoms include outer elbow pain, point tenderness (pain when touched) at the outermost point of the elbow, pain when gripping or holding something around the wrist area, morning elbow stiffness with audible popping sounding when gripping, as well as pain when lifting something with weight on both wrists at once.

Tennis elbow treatment and management focuses on relieving pain caused by tension on muscles and tendons in the affected area. Reducing repetitive activities that caused it is also addressed; for example avoiding gripping, twisting, lifting activities will help restore damaged tissues more rapidly than using an ice pack for circulation purposes reducing swelling in affected area; analgesic medications (ibuprofen, topic analgesics or even in severe cases morphine may be recommended as solutions).

Your doctor may suggest steroid injections to ease inflammation and pain associated with tennis elbow. Although steroid injections may provide temporary relief, their side effects such as pain at the site of injection, atrophy and tendon damage may make this approach an uncomfortable last resort. More advanced treatments such as physiotherapy, splints/braces/blood injections/shockwave therapy/surgery can all also be utilized to effectively manage tennis elbow.

Resting is the primary method for treating tennis elbow, as this allows your body to heal itself. Applying anti-inflammatories such as antipyretics and alternate heating and icing treatments are the next steps, while “Tennis Elbow Straps” offer lasting support during healing. Exercise, stretching and massage have also proven useful treatments.

If none of the traditional remedies help provide adequate relief for an elbow condition, individuals may consider alternative therapies before surgery is an option. Acupuncture is just one such therapy used along with heat therapy, splinting, laser therapy, physical therapy and trigger point therapy as alternatives.

Acupuncture for Tennis Elbow
Studies conducted on 90 athletes concluded that acupuncture and TCM massage combined are effective ways of treating tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis.

Participating athletes were divided into three groups for treatment; the first received only acupuncture; the second group only massage; and a third received both forms of therapy – combined acupuncture and massage for best results; however all three experienced significantly positive clinical outcomes; however the combination group improved more than its peers suggesting a synergistic effect between treatments.

Researchers conducted another, smaller fire needle acupuncture study with participants being treated at trigger points or Ashi points on their affected elbow, providing pain relief while still permitting complete range of motion in all directions. Researchers discovered that fire needle acupuncture patients experienced less discomfort overall and reported relief without restrictions to movement of their joint.

Massage For Tennis Elbow
Consulting a massage therapist may be beneficial in managing tennis elbow pain. A common technique known as frictions may help ease elbow discomfort; this localized soft tissue manipulation employs fingers and thumbs. Although you could potentially perform this technique at home without professional assistance, most non-practitioners won’t know exactly what they should look out for or how best to administer the treatment, making professional sports massage therapy highly recommended as they have experience providing this service. Deep massage, stretching and strengthening therapies may also prove to be highly beneficial if performed properly.

Tennis Elbow Exercise can strengthen weak forearm muscles which could be the source of discomfort. Furthermore, these exercises can serve as follow-up healing or rehabilitation treatment after surgery has taken place to alleviate symptoms.

Supination with a Dumbbell – The supinator muscle is the large forearm muscle attached to the elbow that’s responsible for rotating palm upward and often involved with tennis elbow causing movements. Hold a light to moderate dumbbell and rotate forearm forward and downward as you use this movement for supination.
Wrist Extension – To extend and bend your wrist, the wrist extensors are responsible. They are small muscles connecting the elbow which may become overworked when performing racquet sports, for instance. Hold a light to moderate weight dumbbell with both forearms on either thigh, then place palm down wrist over end of table or thigh with forearm supported and palm downward off end thigh or table; keep forearm steady as you bend wrist upward and repeat this exercise several times over time.
Wrist Flexion – Working against wrist extensors are the wrist flexors, small muscles located along the elbow that may also become overused, leading to inflammation and pain. Hold a light to moderate weight dumbbell with both forearms on a table thigh while hanging your wrist palm up off either of these surfaces with palm facing upward. Bend wrist upward, keeping forearm in place, while repeating. This exercise is known as Wrist Curling.