Commonly associated with activities like tennis, carpentry, and even computer usage, tennis elbow is a musculoskeletal condition that affects the outside portion of the elbow. Pain occurs when you are involved in repetitive gripping, extending the wrist, elbow trauma, and more. It generally affects one to three per cent of the population and is commonly found in people aged between 45 and 54 years.
Symptoms of Tennis Elbow
The most common symptom of tennis elbow is pain on the outside of the elbow. The pain becomes worse when you are gripping objects or extending your wrist. Here we’ve listed a few treatment options offered by the physio in Perth.
Physiotherapy Treatment Options for Tennis Elbow
As mentioned earlier, tennis elbow is caused by overuse of the forearm muscles and is easily identified by the pain caused in the outside edge of the elbow. Here are a few different physiotherapy treatments your physiotherapist offers.
Stretching
The pain caused by tennis elbow limits movement and stretching your muscles up to what’s possible can lessen your pain. During the initial stages, it’d be difficult to do it, but you can wait and begin when the pain subsides. Stretching your arms and moving them upward and downward can improve the range of motion and allows your tendons to take heavier loads.
Relieve Pain Using Joint Mobilisation
Join mobilisation targets the affected area and helps in relieving pain by releasing pressure from sensitive tissues and nerves. It improves the production of endorphins, the happy hormone or the natural painkillers. Your physiotherapist can combine this mobilisation technique with other stabilisation treatments for better results.
Soft Tissue Massage Therapy
Soft tissues massage therapy is a form of physiotherapy in Perth that releases tension in muscles, ligaments, and tissues. Like joint mobilisation, it increases the production of endorphins and improves joint movement. Getting soft tissue massage therapy increases blood circulation and minimises muscle spasms. This reduces discomfort while improving the movement of your elbow muscles.
Hot or Cold Therapy
Are you facing recurring pains, muscle spasms, and stiff joints? Applying hot or cold therapy can relieve pain and reduces muscle spasms. While applying heat, make sure that you aren’t applying for more than 20 minutes or choose duration based on the advice of your physiotherapist. Cold therapy can be used on new injuries to reduce blood flow and inflammation, and it can be applied in 15 to 20-minute intervals.
The Bottom Line
Tennis elbow is a common injury caused due to the repeated usage of elbow muscle. If you are experiencing severe pain, consult your physiotherapist as they will suggest various treatment options that alleviate pain and speed up healing.
