What is Tennis Elbow?

The repetitive movements of swinging a tennis racket or golf club can be the source of elbow pain known as tennis elbow. Inflammation or irritation of tendons in the forearm cause this type of pain. Because of the different types of swings, tennis elbow is located in the upper forearm and outside part of the elbow, while golfer’s elbow pain is located inside of the elbow. The tendon affected by these conditions is called the lateral epicondyle, which helps bend the wrist and arm.  Those who suffer from tennis or golf elbow may experience symptoms such as trouble lifting, bending or extending the arm, weakness of the wrist, trouble lifting, or even holding items. Many times this condition will go away with proper rest after a few weeks or so.  However, if not managed appropriately, the pain can become chronic.  

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Manage Elbow Pain with Chiropractic Care

For short-term relief, rest is critical. Not using the inflamed tendon allows inflammation to decrease, bringing pain relief. Anti-inflammatory medication could also bring some relief for a while. However, medication just masks symptoms temporarily. Inflammation can just as easily return once you start playing tennis or golf again or stop taking medication. By correcting misalignments you can decrease nerve interference and reduce inflammation throughout the body, including the elbow, so you can experience long-term relief from elbow pain.

 

What is Tendonitis?

Tendons are what connect muscles to bones and they can become inflamed due to repeated stress from certain activities. When a tendon is repeatedly worn down or torn and doesn’t have time to heal, it can lead to tendonosis. Tendonitis can affect your wrists, elbows, shoulders, and knees. 

 

Tennis and golfer's elbow fractures are great examples of tendinitis, but stress fractures (also known as fatigue fractures) are an injury that often occurs in connection with sports injuries. These fractures occur when a bone is loaded with a large amount of weight and can cause pain and stiffness. This is extremely common in beginners who start at a higher level than recommended. 

 

How Can a Chiropractor Help?

Your chiropractor can help determine which root cause is bringing about your pain and develop a treatment plan that works for you. They can help to ease the pain of the tennis elbow by offering joint manipulation on the elbows and shoulders so that the signals between nerves can flow freely without impairment. The chiropractor will also look for malpositions on the cervical and thoracic spine to adjust these areas.