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What is tennis elbow?

Tennis elbow is a painful condition affecting the outside part of the elbow. This area is called the lateral epicondyle so the medical term for this condition is lateral epicondylitis. Tennis elbow is defined as an overuse and repetitive strain injury and is usually caused by strenuous overuse of the muscles and tendons of the forearm. Overusing the muscles of the forearm inflames the tendons around the elbow which go on to cause the pain when lifting or bending the arm, when gripping small objects, when twisting the forearm such as turning a door handle or opening a jar, difficulty extending the forearm and leaving the hand with a weakened grip. Tennis elbow can affect anyone, even those who have never played tennis before. It can affect anyone who spends a lot of their time doing work or hobby activities that require repetitive arm movements, for example, using gardening tools, kitchen utensils, paintbrushes, knitting needles, decorating, typing, driving or golfing. 

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Image by Jesper Aggergaard

How does osteopathy help? 

Osteopathy is a system of diagnosing and treating medical conditions that focus on the structure and the functioning of the whole body. It’s based on the idea that your overall health and wellbeing depend on your musclo-skeletal system (bones, muscles, ligaments and soft connective tissues) all working together coherently and inter-related rather than addressing a specific illness or symptom. Osteopaths are trained professionals who focus on detecting, treating and preventing health problems mainly by using joint movement, mobilisation, stretching and massage.

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Many people choose osteopathy because the treatment does not require medication and is considered a more natural approach than conventional medicine. Part of the treatment can be to offer management strategies for your own condition and advice to prevent your problems from returning. This may also involve teaching you about posture, movement habits, gentle stretching and strengthening exercises to continue with at home and using techniques such as hydrotherapy (hot and cold packs) to minimize recurrence. Most tennis elbow can be treated effectively with osteopathy. However, sometimes an osteopath may need to refer you to your GP for further tests or scans.

What will happen during the appointment?

During your initial consultation we will take time to discuss your case history, how tennis elbow is affecting your life, how long you’ve had it and look at your lifestyle as well as conducting a thorough physical examination analysing your structure to ensure an accurate diagnosis. Tennis elbow injuries often respond particularly well to osteopathy. Osteopathic treatment approach aims to reduce the pain of tennis elbow and involves a variety of techniques including simple soft tissue massage, articulation, stretching, pressure techniques and gentle joint manipulation where appropriate. The treatment aims to eradicate pain from the area, restore normal function, full movement, full strength and help the body to heal naturally. Your osteopath will also address any other problems such as elbow, neck, or upper back pain.

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If you are experiencing Tennis Elbow then please book in to see us for advice, exercise prescription and osteopathic treatment.

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If you think you might suffer from Tennis Elbow and would like help please do not hesitate to contact us. 
 

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