Chiropractic Treatment and Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis)

Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis)
Tennis elbow is a term used to describe pain on the outside of the elbow and upper forearm.  The pain is due to irritation and inflammation of the Common Extensor Tendon (CET) which attaches to the humerus bone in this area. The CET is the common attachment of most of the muscles that cause extension at the wrist joint. The pain, irritation and inflammation that is caused here is usually due to an overuse injury.

Symptoms

Symptoms of Tennis Elbow are:

• Pain or discomfort on the outside part of the elbow and upper forearm
• Pain or discomfort with gripping/grasping, lifting, and carrying
• Wrist weakness
• Pain, discomfort or difficulty bending or straightening the forearm at the elbow

Causes

Causes Tennis Elbow is an overuse or a repetitive strain injury. This could be caused from any sport, occupation, or activity that requires a repetitive forceful movement of the wrist and/or fingers. The movements of the wrist include moving your hand backwards (extension) and moving the thumb side of the hand towards the forearm (radial deviation). These movements cause the attachment at the outer elbow to be put under a large amount of strain, which results in tearing of the muscle, inflammation, and pain.

Some common activities, sports and occupations that may lead to Tennis Elbow are:

• Tennis and Racquet sports (usually associated with the back hand swing)
• Golf (not the same as golfers elbow)
• Mechanics, carpenters, plumbers (occupations that include gripping and rotation of the forearm)
• Office workers (computer operators/typists)
• DIY, gardening
• Previous or current shoulder problems

Treatment

Initial treatment of Tennis Elbow is focused on reducing the irritation and inflammation in the area. This includes using ice, resting the elbow, and possibly an elbow strap if needed. Also, a proper examination of the wrist, elbow, shoulder, and spine are necessary to identify any other contributing causes. When an injury is due to a repetitive or overuse strain, especially if it is a chronic and reoccurring injury, the body’s response is to deposit early stage scar-tissue (fibrosis), which can hinder the muscles ability to function as well as to fully heal. In order to prevent or break up this fibrosis, Dr. Guarino utilizes the Active Release Technique, which has been specifically designed to break up fibrosis/adhesions within and around the muscles to allow them to regain proper function and heal completely. For more information on Active Release Technique (ART), please check out the following links:
http://www.drguarinochiropractic.com/chiropractic.html
http://www.activerelease.com/what_patients.asp

Prevention

Prevention Tennis Elbow can occur many times due to improper or poor technique. This is especially applicable to sports like Tennis or Golf. The first step of prevention is to improve your technique by getting a lesson from a trained professional. Always make sure to perform a proper warm-up before