Tennis Elbow: It's Not Just for Tennis Players (And Here's How We Treat It)
With Wimbledon in full swing, we're seeing a familiar pattern in clinic: a spike in people asking about tennis elbow. But here's the thing - most of our tennis elbow clients have never picked up a racquet in their life.
What Is Tennis Elbow, Really?
Tennis elbow (medically known as lateral epicondylitis) is pain and tenderness on the outside of the elbow, where the forearm tendons attach. It's caused by repetitive strain on the wrist extensor muscles - the ones that lift your hand and fingers up and back.
The name is misleading. Yes, tennis players get it from repetitive backhand strokes, but so do:
Office workers who type all day
Tradespeople using screwdrivers or hand tools repeatedly
Parents lifting young children
Gardeners, painters, and anyone doing repetitive gripping tasks
Gamers and heavy phone/laptop users
If you've ever had a nagging ache on the outside of your elbow that gets worse with gripping, twisting a doorknob, or even lifting a coffee cup - this might be familiar.
Why Rest Alone Doesn't Fix It
One of the biggest misconceptions is that tennis elbow is simple inflammation, and that resting it until it "calms down" will solve the problem. In reality, tennis elbow is a tendinopathy - a breakdown in the structure of the tendon due to repetitive overload without adequate recovery. Rest might reduce pain temporarily, but it doesn't rebuild the tendon's capacity to handle load. That's why people often feel better for a while, then the pain returns as soon as they go back to normal activity.
Effective treatment needs to do more than just reduce symptoms - it needs to help the tendon adapt and get stronger.
How We Treat Tennis Elbow in Clinic
Here's our approach, and why each part matters:
1. Dry Needling We use dry needling to target trigger points in the forearm muscles, helping to reduce muscle tension and stimulate the body's natural healing response in the affected tissue.
2. Joint Mobilisations Stiffness in the elbow, wrist, or even the neck and shoulder can contribute to how much load ends up going through the tendon. We assess and mobilise these joints to restore normal movement through the whole arm - not just the sore spot.
3. Soft Tissue Release & Stretching Using techniques like active release, we work to release tightness and restrictions in the wrist extensor muscles, which often become overworked and shortened with repetitive strain.
4. Load Modification This is a key piece that's often missed. We don't just tell people to "rest" - we look at what's actually loading the tendon in daily life (grip patterns, work tasks, technique) and adjust it so the tendon isn't constantly being aggravated while it heals.
5. Progressive Strengthening Exercises Tendons need the right kind of load to remodel and get stronger - not none at all. We build a gradual exercise program, often starting with isometric holds and progressing to eccentric loading, to rebuild the tendon's capacity over time.
The Bottom Line
Tennis elbow responds well to a structured, hands-on, and active approach - not just ice and avoidance. Combining manual therapy with smart load management and targeted exercise gives the tendon what it actually needs to heal.
If you've got a nagging ache on the outside of your elbow that isn't going away on its own, don't wait it out. Come in and get it properly assessed - the earlier it's addressed, the quicker and easier the recovery tends to be.
Dealing with elbow pain? Get in touch or book an assessment!