Tennis Elbow in Austin TX

Do you suffer from tennis elbow in Austin? Pain of the outside of the elbow, known as Tennis Elbow, is tendonitis and called Lateral Epicondylitis. The cause of this condition is repetitive overuse of the extensor muscles of the forearm. The injury occurs where the tendons of the forearm attach to the bony knob on the outside of the elbow. The pain primarily occurs where the tendons attach, but the pain can also extend from the outer elbow into the forearm and wrist. Tennis elbow is most common in adults between the ages of 30 and 50 but can affect people of any age.

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Tennis Elbow in Austin TX

As is true with many conditions, certain people in various occupations are more susceptible to developing the symptoms. For example; people who are actively involved in fishing, butchering, long term computer use, plumbing, repeated screwdriver use, waiting, guitar playing, painting, and carpentry have been all shown to develop this ailment. Tennis elbow can affect anyone, but has been found to occur more frequently in people who suddenly begin tasks that involve using muscle groups that they are not accustomed to using. There also seems to be a higher rate of occurrence in people aged 30-50 years old.

The development of tennis elbow can be difficult to identify and pain is often one of the first symptoms. Tennis elbow typically develops slowly and people suffering from the condition often cannot remember any specific injury. As mentioned before, the pain is located on the outer portion of the elbow, and is often described as sharp and burning. Besides the development of pain, people suffering from tennis elbow often gradually begin to notice the development of weakness in the hand of the affected arm. Weak grip strength is usually noticed when shaking hands, turning a screw driver, holding a coffee cup, opening doors or holding gardening tools. People may also notice that they drop objects more frequently as the condition progresses.

Tennis Elbow can be caused by any activity which overuses the forearm and wrist: typing on a keyboard, using the mouse, playing an instrument, fishing, painting, playing sports, plumbing, gardening, housework, and much more. The problem is that once the elbow area is inflamed and painful, even simple activities of daily living can aggravate the condition. Turning a doorknob, lifting a bag, shaking hands, or holding a glass can cause pain and reveal actual weakness.

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What is the best treatment available for tennis elbow?

Tennis Elbow is often associated with subluxations (misalignments) of the cervical spine (neck). This is because the cervical spine is the area that supplies the nerve flow to the muscles and tendons of the elbow.

​​​​​​​Tennis Elbow can heal with conservative care consisting of specific adjustments of the cervical spine and elbow; trigger point therapy to the offending muscles, Cold Laser; and sometimes an elbow support or tape to allow the injured areas to heal.

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Contact our Austin team at Chiropractic Arts Center of Austin, P.C. today.