Elbow Pain (Tennis & Golfer's Elbow)
Tennis elbow is pain on the outside of the elbow and golfer’s elbow is pain on the inside, and both are overuse injuries of the forearm tendons. Physical therapy loads the tendon in the right way so it can recover. Xcelerate Physical Therapy treats elbow pain in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.
Tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow: where it hurts
The side of the elbow that hurts tells you which tendons are involved.
Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)
Pain on the outside of the elbow, often with forearm pain, worse when you lift a kettle, shake hands or turn a screwdriver.
Golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylitis)
Pain on the inside of the elbow. Elbow tendinitis of this kind hurts with gripping and flexing the wrist.
Other elbow problems
Bursitis causes swelling at the tip of the elbow. Cubital tunnel is irritation of the ulnar nerve, with tingling in the ring and small fingers.
You do not need to play tennis or golf to get them
Most people who get these injuries never pick up a racquet or club. Repeated gripping, lifting and wrist work, from tools to keyboards to carrying shopping bags, overload the tendons where they attach at the elbow. That is why elbow pain when gripping is the usual complaint.
Why loading the tendon helps more than resting it
Rest alone often leaves a tendon weaker, so pain returns as soon as you use it again.
Isometric holds
Gentle, held contractions can calm pain early on and start rebuilding strength.
Eccentric loading
Slowly lowering a weight trains the tendon to tolerate the load of daily tasks.
Hands-on care
Manual therapy and soft tissue work for the forearm muscles ease tension on the tendon.
Education
We teach you how to grip, lift and set up your tools so the tendon is not overloaded between visits.
Changes at work and home that take pressure off the tendon
- Hold tools with a larger, lighter grip
- Lift with your palm up when you can
- Break repetitive tasks into shorter bursts
- Keep your wrist in a neutral line when typing or using a mouse
- Carry bags closer to your body
Connected problems
Elbow pain often travels with the neck, shoulder or wrist. We look at Shoulder Pain and hand and wrist pain if they apply. If the injury happens at your job, see Work Injuries & Workers' Comp; if it comes from sport, see Sports Injury Rehab.
Elbow pain care in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania
Xcelerate Physical Therapy treats elbow pain at our Newtown Square clinic, 214 S. Newtown Street Road.
In Pennsylvania you can see a physical therapist without a physician’s referral, but your insurance may require one: call the number on your insurance card to check, or call us before your first visit.
Meet the people who treat you on our team page.