Got Tennis Elbow, Now What?
By: Dr. Tiffany T. Butler | February 7, 2023 | Read Time: 6 minutes
“Life is like a game of tennis; the player who serves well seldom loses.” (Unknown)
Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) is a common injury seen in tennis players. To play tennis you must perform various tennis strokes that require repetitive pronation and supination of the elbow. Pronation of the elbow is when you place the palm of your hand face down; whereas supination is when you place the palm of your hand face-up. For example, to execute a backhand stroke, the hand is faced down (elbow in pronation), then it is forcibly extended. If you do this movement repetitively or for prolonged periods of time (such as during practice or in the game), you are more likely to experience tendon strain.
Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis), similar to golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylitis), is an overuse injury. An overuse injury is when the soft tissues of the body are placed under repetitive stress resulting in an injury such as – sprain, strain, tendonitis, or bursitis. The tendons that attach to the lateral epicondyle (a small nodule on the inside) of the humerus bone become strained causing swelling, inflammation, and pain on the outside of the elbow.
Although tennis elbow can affect players of all levels, anyone can experience tennis elbow, especially if their occupation requires repetitive use of the hands such as contractors and construction laborers. Since both, the tennis elbow and the golfer’s elbow, cause elbow pain, it is important that you get elevated by a healthcare provider – such as a chiropractor, medical physician, physical therapist, etc. – for a proper diagnosis. Most professional tennis players can spend up to 4 hours practicing a day. Junior tennis players are more at risk for soft tissue injuries such as tennis elbow because their bodies are still growing and developing.
How You Can Prevent Tennis Elbow?
You can reduce your chances of sustaining an elbow injury such as tennis elbow (aka lateral epicondylitis) by doing the following:
- Drink plenty of fluids and eat fruit to ensure proper hydration before, during, and after practice and/or game.
- Incorporate a strength and conditioning program that will strengthen the muscles of the wrist, forearm, elbow, and shoulders.
- Stretch daily to maintain and/or improve joint flexibility.
- Always warm up before practicing and playing.
- Follow the “RICE” protocol if you experience elbow pain.
- Get professional tennis training to learn proper techniques for playing tennis.
Chiropractic Care for Tennis Elbow
Chiropractors specialize in treating muscle and joint complaints such as strains, sprains, tendonitis, bursitis, etc. Most professional athletes, regardless of the sport, has a chiropractor as part of their healthcare team. Chiropractors can help tennis players recover from their injuries, whether the injury is acute (just happened) or chronic (reoccurring, had it for a while, or flared up). In addition, the chiropractor can perform evaluations such as posture while playing, flexibility, and strength tests to assess for muscle imbalance, which may put you at risk for an injury in the future.
Chiropractic care can be a plausible choice of treatment for tennis elbow and other tennis-related injuries such as low back pain, wrist pain, and shoulder pain while playing tennis.
Risk of Not Receiving Treatment for Tennis Elbow
There is nothing worse than not being able to do the thing you love. If you enjoy playing tennis, and you can’t play because of an injury, it can take a toll on your physical, mental, and emotional state. Therefore, receiving care for an injury such as a tennis elbow sooner rather than later can be beneficial.
If you are experiencing tennis elbow or elbow pain, and you don’t get post-injury care you are at risk for the following occurring:
- Decline in sport-performance
- Muscle weakness
- Limited movement or mobility
- Hand weakness
- Chronicity of condition
Whether you are an amateur tennis player, junior tennis player, or professional tennis player, consider making chiropractors a part of your athletic health team.
Click here to learn about Golfers’ Elbow
Dr. Tiffany T. Butler (aka “The Pain Doctor”) is a chiropractor, author, and entrepreneur. She leads Harmonious Living Chiropractic: Fitness & Wellness Center, a pain management practice, in offering healthcare solutions that focus on patient-centered care. Her team consists of individuals who are passionate about improving patient outcomes by providing chiropractic care, in conjunction with therapeutic procedures. Their services have helped hundreds of people find pain relief and improved their quality of life. To learn more about Dr. Butler visit https://www.drtiffanybutler.com/dr-butler/ Connect with Dr. Butler on social media #drtiffanybutler
