Dr. Pete – Elbow Pain

Ever wonder why your elbow kills you when you carry that heavy tray to your customer’s table?  Or when you push and pull that vacuum?  Or when you reach across a table to pick up your laptop?  It could be because you have Tennis or Golfer’s Elbow.

I know what you’re thinking.  You haven’t picked up a tennis racquet since elementary school or swung a golf club for years and you have THIS diagnosis.  Well, in reality, I have treated many people in my office with the same comment.  In fact, many of my golfing and tennis patients don’t come to my office complaining of elbow pain.  It’s more common to treat them for back, shoulder or ankle/foot pain.

So what is the difference between Golfer’s and Tennis Elbow?  Golfer’s elbow is found on the inside of your elbow right around where that “funny bone” is.  Tennis elbow is on the outside of the elbow.  Both are extremely painful and can stop even the most seasoned veterans in their tracks.  They start out as mild discomfort in their respective areas when you lift your coffee cup, shake someone’s hands or brush your teeth then over time lead into a sharp, throbbing pain with almost anything you do.  It becomes a constant nuisance even when you sleep.

Both are currently known as a TENDONOPATHY (ten-dun-op-a-thee) but were originally referred to as a tendonitis.  A tendonopathy can be very difficult to treat because of the amount of scar tissue that has formed, lack of blood supply to the tissue and the shortening of the muscle group.  However, they are treated in very similar matters.  One must rest the tissue as much as possible (a good brace helps out a lot)so as to allow the area to heal while applying a frequent regimen of ice, laser therapy or ultrasound. The areas must be aggressively attacked with soft tissue techniques (manual, hands-on or instrument based techniques) to break up the underlying scar tissue and to promote blood vessel production and flow.  The entire upper extremity, including the wrist and shoulder, should be assessed and addressed for any joint complex restrictions all the while stretching out the dominant, restrictive opposite muscle groups.  What exactly does that last part mean?  Well, with Tennis elbow (remember that’s on the outside) you must stretch the forearm flexor muscles (they are the “Popeye” muscles that arm wrestlers get) and with Golfer’s elbow you should stretch the “Popeye” and the back of the arm muscles.

Hopefully this has shed some light on elbow pain for you.  Both conditions can be very frustrating for the practitioner and the patient to treat but with some patience and consistency you will conquer these problems.  Until next time, be well!!!!

Sincerely,

Dr. Pete 

Dr. Pete -  www.moore-chiropractic.com