Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow

What is tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow?

Tennis elbow is an inflammation on the outside of the elbow, where the muscles of the forearm attach to the bony prominence of the upper arm. A similar, but much less common, inflammation on the inside of the elbow is known as golfer’s elbow. In both cases, the conditions have little to do with the specific sport after which they are named, since the majority of patients have never played tennis or golf in their lives.

Overuse

However, it is true that overuse is involved. Sometimes this can be a one-off instance of overuse resulting from physical activities to which the patient is not accustomed, for example, a do-it-yourselfer who develops tennis elbow after a weekend of screwing wooden slats to the ceiling. In that case, the cause is clear. Rest is the appropriate therapy, and recovery is usually rapid.

Chiropractic perspective

From a chiropractic perspective, tennis elbow is usually a manifestation of a much more extensive mechanical dysfunction that encompasses the entire kinetic chain of the arm. Examination therefore reveals movement blockages not only in the arm, but also between the vertebrae of the neck and upper back, the adjacent ribs, and in the shoulder joint.

It will be clear that in such a situation, treating only the elbow offers little chance of success. Chiropractic treatment for tennis elbow is therefore aimed at restoring movement function of the entire kinetic chain. Results are usually good if treatment is initiated in a timely manner.