Tennis and Golfer's Elbow: Symptoms, Causes and Solutions

Most people are familiar with the terms Tennis and Golfer's elbow. These conditions are forms of tendinitis that can be extremely painful and can affect your ability to carry out your daily routine, including work and sports.

Who’s is susceptible?

While Tennis and Golfer's elbow are commonly associated with tennis players and golfers, anyone who engages in activities that require repetitive arm movements can develop these conditions. This includes individuals who engage in manual labor, such as carpenters, painters, and plumbers, as well as those who spend a lot of time typing or using a computer mouse. Even activities such as knitting or playing musical instruments can lead to the development of tendinitis in the elbow. It's important to recognise that anyone can develop Tennis or Golfer's elbow with overuse and take steps to prevent these conditions from occurring by practicing proper form and taking breaks to rest the affected muscles and tendons. In this blog, we'll explore the symptoms, causes, and solutions for Tennis and Golfer's elbow, as well as how focused shockwave therapy can aid in recovery quickly.

Symptoms

Tennis elbow, also known as lateral epicondylitis, causes pain and tenderness on the outer part of your elbow. You may also experience stiffness, weakness, and difficulty gripping objects.

Golfer's elbow, also known as medial epicondylitis, causes pain and tenderness on the inner part of your elbow. You may also experience stiffness, weakness, and difficulty gripping objects.

Both conditions can cause pain that radiates down your forearm and wrist, and can make it difficult to perform everyday tasks such as lifting and gripping objects.

Causes

Tennis and Golfer's elbow are caused by repetitive stress to the tendons in your elbow. This stress can come from playing tennis or golf, as well as from other repetitive arm movements such as painting, typing, or using tools. Overuse of these tendons can lead to tiny tears in the tissue, resulting in inflammation and pain.

Solutions

Rest and ice are often recommended for the treatment of Tennis and Golfer's elbow. Avoiding the activities that caused the condition, or modifying them to reduce stress on the tendons, can also be helpful. Physical therapy and stretching exercises can help to strengthen the muscles and tendons in your forearm, reducing the risk of future injury.

If conservative treatments are not effective, more advanced treatments such as corticosteroid injections or surgery may be required.

Focused Shockwave Therapy

Focused shockwave therapy is a non-invasive, non-surgical treatment that uses high-energy sound waves to stimulate the healing process in damaged tissues. This therapy can be effective for the treatment of Tennis and Golfer's elbow, as well as other forms of tendinitis.

During a focused shockwave therapy session, a device is used to deliver high-energy sound waves to the affected area. The sound waves stimulate blood flow and the formation of new blood vessels, which can accelerate the healing process.

Shockwave therapy sessions typically last between 15 and 30 minutes and are performed on an outpatient basis. Most patients require between 3 and 6 sessions for optimal results.

If you're experiencing Tennis or Golfer's elbow in Liverpool contact us about whether focused shockwave therapy may be right for you.