Tennis elbow (epicondylitis)

This injury, which gets its name from the fact that it afflicts a large number of tennis players, is also common among people who repeat the same gestures.

Physiotherapy effectively treats this tendonitis locally, first by performing transverse friction at the level of the muscle attachment to break up scar adhesions. Next, the physiotherapist ensures that the accessory mobility of the upper limb is adequate. As a home exercise program, we teach forearm stretching and forearm massage and recommend ice application.

If blockages are found in the upper limb, physiotherapy and the Osteopathic treatment aims to remove these blockages causing tension in the shoulder by improving the mobility of the cervical, dorsal and costal spine using manual joint mobilization and myofacial techniques for the thorax, upper limb, cervical region and viscera. In some cases, we use manual techniques to normalize the liver because of its involvement in the metabolism of certain toxins. These are naturally lodged in the most stressed tendons and can in some cases be the source of epicondylitis.

Acupuncture, on the other hand, can be used to reduce pain and inflammation in the elbow, which is the common cause of the extensors, and also to reduce tension in these muscles. Moreover, the colon meridian runs directly on the lateral aspect of the upper limb and the imbalance of the colon energy can be the cause of certain epicondylitis. As needles are placed in the right places to promote blood flow to the area, the maximized blood flow speeds up the healing process.

Another approach is proposed by Dr. Shirley Sahrmann. When a person picks up a small object from a table, say a utensil, the elbow is bent using the forearm extensors instead of the bicep. The forearm extensors attach to the epicondyle of the humerus to insert onto the 2nd and 3rd metacarpals. So, this overuse, because we repeat this movement several times a day, leads to tendonitis. It is therefore necessary to teach exercises aimed at restoring the neuromuscular pattern to reduce the stress on the epicondylar muscles.

As you can see, our clinic is able to consider several avenues of treatment to address this problem in your patients. Unfortunately, some epicondylitis is resistant to the conservative approach and at this point it is desirable that traditional medicine treats these patients.

If you have any questions or comments, do not hesitate to contact us.