Tennis elbow or lateral epicondylitis is defined as pain in the elbow and forearm. The pain can occur in the neck and shoulders, too. Whether you play tennis or not, this pain can happen to anybody.
The main reason for this pain is the repetitive use of arms or hands. Generally, the dominant arm is affected the most due to the tennis elbow. It also causes weakness in the muscles that connect the outer part of the elbow and forearm. You may also feel reduced arm strength and face difficulty in gripping objects.
When you have a tennis elbow, you must stop doing certain exercises, or it will worsen your pain. Read further to know more about tennis elbow and why we need a chiropractor for tennis elbow.
Repetitive movements and overly using the forearm and elbow joint are the most common causes of tennis elbow. Here are some examples of the major causes of this condition:
If you are having a desk job, then you might be at a risk of developing tennis elbow. Sitting in front of a computer system all day and repetitively moving the computer mouse can stress your arm muscles. These muscles give support to the elbow joint.
Painting and driving screws are some home improvement tasks likely to cause this condition. No matter whether you work on a fixer-upper or undertake DIY renovations, elbow pain can occur due to repetitive arm movement.
In young athletes, tennis elbow is among the common injuries. Sports such as tennis require players to repetitively move their arms. This can lead to injuries like tennis elbow. Other sports, like baseball, also involve repetitive movement of arms, tendons, and muscles. Your ligaments are also engaged in the action.
Signs And Symptoms Of Tennis Elbow
Overusing your arm is the primary cause of tennis elbow. But, the signs and symptoms of the condition are likely to come slowly, which can be:
When you have a tennis elbow, you may feel pain lifting something, opening a door, or making a fist. This condition is similar to a golfer’s elbow, which is a different condition affecting the tendons and the inner part of your elbow. For diagnosing a tennis elbow, the doctor will carry out several tests. Let us discuss them a little.
You may need to undergo a physical test. This will let your healthcare provider pinpoint any swelling, pain, or stiffness. During the test, you might be asked about the activities that are triggering the pain. For a complete diagnosis, you may undergo an X-ray, electromyography (EMG), or a CT scan.
Both short-term treatments and long-term health improvement of the tendons are effective for tennis elbow. If prescribed short-term treatments, you may have to give up on aggravating activities. The treatment will include steroid injections, pain medications, and stretching.
Long-term treatments entail strength exercises and physical therapy. You will also be asked to incorporate more anti-inflammatory foods in your diet plan.
The other treatments may include ultrasonic tenotomy. In an ultrasonic tenotomy, the surgeon generally takes out the damaged tissue with ultrasound, acupuncture, and plasma injections.
The healthcare provider does not usually recommend surgery. But it may become necessary if the signs have not improved even after 6 months of other treatments. Surgical procedure entails the removal of diseased muscles and reattachment of healthy ones. The patient may also have to go for physical therapy rehabilitation post-surgery.
Acupuncture is also performed in most cases of tennis elbow. The acupuncturist performs it by inserting 3 to 4 needles in the affected area of the patient. These needles are so thin that they easily go through the skin and impact the muscles and nerves. It raises circulation in the affected area and clears up the chemical environment near the nerves.
Tennis elbow should never be overlooked as it will not go on its own. The person who is diagnosed with tennis elbow should seek proper treatment. While searching for the right treatment, you might come across chiropractic care for tennis elbow.
Who is a chiropractor, and what does it do? A chiropractor is a professional who focuses on diagnosing and managing neuromuscular disorders. People often visit a chiropractor if they suffer from pain or discomfort. A majority of chiropractors aid in easing the pain and enhancing the functionality of particular body parts.
Chiropractic care is quite effective at managing a tennis elbow. The treatment may include adjustment to the elbow and wrist that move the joints and lessen joint compression. The chiropractor may also perform electrical muscle stimulation to ease muscle tightness and increase circulation. Here is a detailed overview of different chiropractic treatments for tennis elbow:
Elbow adjustments are not recommended in every tennis elbow case. But there are times when a misaligned elbow joint can become troublesome. It may force specific arm muscles to put extra effort towards making up for the misalignment. It can lead to tennis elbow, primarily when the arm in question performs repeated actions. The chiropractor will use one or more adjustment techniques in an elbow adjustment.
How often should the patient visit the tennis elbow chiropractor for elbow adjustments? It will entirely depend on how their tennis elbow responds to the therapy. Chiropractors often use the following treatments to manage a patient’s elbow pain:
It may be surprising for the patients to know that the chiropractor may also perform spinal adjustments to manage tennis elbow. It is pretty normal to have doubts about this. However, the spine can be the root cause of the abnormalities related to the limbs.
If you have neck pain, there may be chances of tennis elbow as both are interrelated. Even if it does not come, a misaligned spine can be the reason for a miscommunication down the arm nerves. A study also showcased a connection between cervical pain and elbow pain.
When you go for chiropractic care for tennis elbow injuries, you can ensure many incredible benefits for yourself. These may include the following:
Tennis elbow patients can get all-natural pain relief with chiropractic care. Chiropractic methods may ease pain and discomfort in the injured part by lessening inflammation and raising circulation.
Another benefit of chiropractic care is that it does not need surgery or medication. Since it is non-invasive, there is no risk of complications and side effects after the treatment.
Chiropractic care provides patients with personalized treatment plans customized as per their requirements. Hence, they can receive a treatment that considers their unique symptoms and lifestyle.
With chiropractic care, the patients can also improve functioning and movement in the area of injury. They may regain range of motion and resume their routine tasks after the joint realignment and muscle strengthening.
Tennis elbow injury can drastically change a person’s life. The condition may prevent them from doing their day-to-day tasks. But, with the right chiropractic care, they can enjoy a good quality of life. It will help them reduce pain and increase mobility.
We know that tennis elbow is painful, and it impacts the outside part of your elbow joint. Tennis elbow results from repetitive use of the elbow and forearm, and the condition is not limited to tennis players.
There are many jobs and activities that can be the reason for tennis elbow. Painting, carpentry, and playing other racquet sports such as squash or badminton are some examples. You need to take certain exercises out of your workout regime if you have a tennis elbow. Avoid all these exercises as they may worsen your condition:
Your chiropractor may advise you to wear a tennis elbow brace and a wrist guard. While doing any task involving your hand or arm, ensure you wear the elbow brace. Wear it during the work shift if you are having a desk job. Do not forget to take off the brace before going to bed.
While sleeping at night, wear the wrist brace. You don’t have to wear a wrist brace all day long. It’ll help prevent your wrist from flexing or bending when you sleep and let the tendons recover.
Patients obviously want to know when they will recover from their condition and continue their routine activities. The recovery from tennis elbow depends on the type of case and the severity of the damage. Individuals are likely to recover at distinct rates.
If an individual tries to push himself/herself before the condition is healed properly, it can worsen the situation. You can resume all your previous activities with the same intensity when:
Tennis elbow is preventable, but you need to keep in mind certain things. Follow all these steps if you want to prevent this painful condition:
Chiropractors often ask tennis elbow patients to follow specific lifestyle changes to prevent future complications. These lifestyle changes can be:
Generally, tendons take time to heal because they are not able to get an adequate supply of blood vessels. Oxygen, blood, and nutrients may take a long to go through the connecting tendons and tissues. It signifies that the elbow injury may take about 2 years to fully recover.
But, to accelerate the recovery process, you may have to adhere to a more nutritious diet chart. Ensure you stay away from inflammatory foods like sugar and processed foods as much as possible. Avoid consuming acidic foods as they can extend inflammation. Furthermore, try to cut back on your tea, coffee, and alcohol intake.
Tennis elbow injury may improve more quickly when you get proper nutrition from your diet. You may need all of these nutrients to ease your tennis elbow injury:
Iron contributes to the making of oxygen-carrying proteins, hemoglobin, and myoglobin. These help in building those protein blocks and amino acids. It is incredibly vital in the rebuilding process and can be helpful for anyone with a tennis elbow injury. If a person is iron deficient, they may suffer from problems like impaired muscle function and limited work capacity.
Zinc is vital in DNA synthesis and protein synthesis. All that is important in the regeneration and repairing of tissue. Zinc is also associated with slow healing of wounds, and most people lack this micronutrient. Some of the best examples of zinc-rich foods are eggs, fish, legumes, and red meat.
Calcium is an essential nutrient that helps in the maintenance and repair of your bone tissue. It also maintains the blood calcium levels, nerve conduction, and regulation of muscle contraction. All that is crucial for a quick and hassle-free recovery. If you have a calcium deficiency, there can be problems like low bone mineral density and stress. Have calcium-rich foods like milk, leafy vegetables, and cheese to avoid these risks.
Vitamin A aids in improving and supporting early inflammation during injury. It also reverses post-injury immune suppression and helps in the production of collagen. Some of the best sources of this vitamin are carrots, sweet potatoes, fish, and dark leafy greens.
Vitamin C is known for its cold-fighting properties. But it offers other benefits, too. This vitamin has a significant part in collagen synthesis, assisting in the creation of bonds among strands of collagen fiber. Anyone with a vitamin C deficiency may have an inadequate formation of collagen and a weakening of fibrous tissue. Red peppers, chili peppers, and oranges are some great sources of this vitamin.
Tennis elbow is an injury aggravated by daily movements of our arm and hand. Lifting weights, doing desk jobs, and opening a doorknob all contribute to tennis elbow pain. Unquestionably, a tennis elbow may drastically change a person’s life and become a real burden.
Chiropractic care can be very beneficial to treat this condition. It is non-invasive and offers an improved quality of life. Chiropractors massage your muscles with hands to ease your pain and stress. They even perform certain stretches and exercises to alleviate pain and improve mobility.
Are you someone with a tennis elbow problem seeking the best chiropractic care in Jackson Heights, NY? Dr. Michael Shaub at Realign Spine is a chiropractor you can trust. Trusted by many for expert chiropractic care, Dr. Shaub possesses 26+ years of experience in the field and has helped many patients get back to their everyday lives.
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