Tennis elbow / lateral epicondylitis are often caused by repetitive movements such as computer work, painting and the like. Treatment of tennis elbow / lateral epicondylitis includes relief from the causal cause, eccentric training of the muscles involved, as well as any pressure wave and / or laser treatment. These are wrist extensors that cause tennis elbow / lateral epicondylitis (among other extensor carpi radialis or extensor carpi ulnaris myalgia / myosis).
There are small microcracks in the muscle / tendon connection to the lateral epicondyle (found on the outside of the elbow), which can often worsen to continue the cause, making it difficult for the body’s own healing process to do. In such cases, external assistance from a physiotherapist, chiropractor or manual therapist is required. Treatment will usually consist of eccentric training in combination with pressure wave and / or laser treatment, as well as relief from the causes that caused the problem.
The most common cause is repeated complete stretching of the wrist (back) during the working day.
Symptoms of tennis elbow / lateral epicondylitis – Pain and tenderness towards the outside of the elbow. The pain may also fall towards the forearm and worsen with some movement. – Stiff elbow. The elbow can be stiff and it can be painful to tie your hand to your fist. – Elbow cracking. With such dysfunction, cracking may be heard in the elbow. Weakness in hands or fingers. A tennis elbow can occasionally cause weakness on the affected side. – Iling down towards the hand, especially the ring finger or little finger.
The best evidence for the treatment of lateral epicondylitis is eccentric exercise (see Exercises), preferably in combination with pressure wave and / or laser treatment – other forms of evidence-based treatment include mobilization / manipulation of the elbow joint. The standard protocol for treating tennis elbow with shockwave Therapy is for about 5 treatments, there are about 5 to 7 days between treatments, so the recovery / rest time should be optimal. What can I do for elbow pain?
1. General exercise, specific exercise, stretching and activity are recommended, but stay within the pain limits. Two walks a day lasting 20 – 40 minutes are beneficial for the whole body and muscle pain.
2. We strongly recommend trigger / massage balls – they come in different sizes, so you can work well on all parts of the body. There is no better self-help than this one! We recommend the following (click on the image below) – which is a complete set of 5 trigger points / massage balls of different sizes: trigger ball point
3. Training: Specific training with training tricks of different opponents (such as this complete set of 6 knits of different resistance) can help you train strength and function. Knitting training often involves more specific training, which in turn can lead to more effective injury prevention and pain reduction.
4. Pain Relief – Cooling: Biofreeze is a natural product that can relieve pain by gently cooling the area. Cooling is especially recommended in case of very severe pain. When they calm down, heat treatment is recommended – so it is advisable to have both cooling and heating available.
5. Pain Relief – Warming up: Warming up tense muscles can increase blood circulation and relieve pain. We recommend the following reusable hot / cold seal (more information here) – which can be used for both cooling (freezing) and heating (can be heated in a microwave oven).
