Physiotherapy for Tennis Elbow

You don’t have to be a Wimbledon star to develop tennis elbow. In fact, it is very rare. Only 0.5% of tennis elbow conditions are actually caused by playing the sport! At Total Physio, one of our specialties is physiotherapy for tennis elbow. We can help you to get back to normal activity quicker.

Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis, is a common condition that is often treatable with targeted exercise and physiotherapy treatment. It is linked to the tendons around the elbow joint and causes pain or movement issues in the forearm and wrist. Read on to find out more about physiotherapy for tennis elbow.

What is tennis elbow?

Tennis elbow is linked to inflammation and micro-tearing of tendons and muscles in the forearm and outside of the elbow that help with the extension of your wrist and fingers. It is often caused by changes in physical activity, such as repetitive gripping and twisting of the forearm. The condition can affect anybody, but it is most commonly seen in those between the ages of 40 to 50 years old.

(Sourced from Tennis Elbow Advice & Exercise – NHS)

What are some of the common symptoms of tennis elbow?

The main symptoms of tennis elbow include pain and swelling to the outside of the elbow, which connects the tendons to the bone. Other symptoms of tennis elbow to keep in mind are:

Pain on the outside of your elbow
Swelling around the elbow
Weakness when gripping
Pain or stiffness at night
Pain or inability to twist the forearm

It is helpful when weighing up physiotherapy for tennis elbow to note what causes you pain and when. Keep an eye out for pain when you lift, make a fist or grip, shake hands, or straighten your wrist. This will help your physiotherapist to identify stress points and shape your treatment for tennis elbow.

What are common tennis elbow physiotherapy treatments??

Although tennis elbow is a common condition, our physiotherapists understand that no two cases are ever the same. Our treatments always start by understanding your issue and determining the stage of the condition after a thorough verbal and physical examination.

Once we understand the condition, we have a variety of tennis elbow physiotherapy treatment methods that could be used and advised by your physio, including:

Soft tissue massage
Musculoskeletal physiotherapy
Acupuncture/dry needling
Exercise plans
Support straps & braces

How can you manage the symptoms of tennis elbow?

Generally, the most helpful approach to managing symptoms of tennis elbow is to change the way you move and identify the stressors of the problem. This means giving yourself time to heal and avoiding heavy activity for a couple of weeks, so you don’t aggravate the pain.

Once you have given yourself the time needed, you can start to strengthen the area again. Your muscles and tendons will need to cope with normal demand and these exercises can often help to increase load and strengthen to help with forearm extension:

Please always consult your therapist about exercise and your recovery*

Stretching exercise

This exercise aims to stretch along your forearm.

Place your arm by your side with the shoulder blade back.
Straighten the elbow.
Lift the wrist upwards toward your upper thigh/buttock.
Hold for 10-15 seconds.

Eccentric loading

This aims to strengthen the wrist and forearms.

Find a place to sit with your forearm flat against a table.
Use a weight around 0.5kg (this could even be a tin of beans).
Hold the weight in the affected arm with the wrist positioned over the end of the table, palm down.
Use your good hand to lift the weight up.
Then slowly lower the hand to a 90-degree angle over three seconds.
Repeat the required number of sets.

Please always consult your therapist about weightlifting during your recovery*

Wrist supination

This aims to maintain mobility.

While sitting, place your affected arm against your body.
Bend the elbow at a 90-degree angle (if necessary, support your elbow with your good hand).
Hold your arm straight with the palm facing down.
Slowly turn your palm to face up.
Hold for a further five seconds.
Repeat the required number of sets or as instructed by your physiotherapist.

If pain persists, please contact a member of our team for specific exercise plans to help support your recovery. It is important to understand the cause of your pain and not cause further damage.

Choose Total Physiotherapy for tennis elbow

Physiotherapy can often get you on the road to recovery that bit quicker, with specific advice, manual therapy and a treatment plan that is individually created to suit your needs. It has been found that a combination of treatment methods is most beneficial when treating an individual with tennis elbow. No singular method has proven to be 100% effective when used in isolation.

At Total Physio, we provide tailor-made physiotherapy for tennis elbow, which can often help find the root cause of your pain and prevent further damage and discomfort. Ultimately, our physiotherapists will work with you to improve the strength, mobility and function of your forearm and wrist.

Our expert staff aim to get you moving through ‘hands-on’ treatment, which is extremely effective when treating tennis elbow. You will also receive targeted advice, created specifically for you and your needs.

We provide a variety of tennis elbow physiotherapy treatments, such as soft tissue massage, joint mobilisations, deep transverse friction massage, ultrasound, acupuncture, and exercise plans. These movement-based treatment plans help improve blood flow to the tendons, which don’t get the same level of blood and oxygen supply as muscles normally receive. It’s simple, with better blood flow you will improve healing to the area.

Looking to speak to an expert? Contact your nearest physiotherapy clinic for advice.