WHAT IS IT?
WHAT CAUSES IT?
HOW CAN PHYSIO HELP?
WHAT IS IT?
Lateral Epidondylitis is commonly known as Tennis Elbow. While this condition can be caused by playing tennis, it is more commonly caused by work and other daily activities involving the wrist and the hand. The lateral epicondyle is the the part of your arm bone that is on the outside of your elbow. Multiple muscles join together as they turn into a tendon and attach into the lateral epicondyle. When this tendon gets irritated it can produce inflammation or degeneration of the tendon which results in the common symptoms of tennis elbow:
- Pain and local tenderness in outside part of the elbow and along the back of the forearm
- Loss of wrist, hand and grip strength
- Muscle tension
WHAT CAUSES IT?
We've described the most common causes of tennis elbow below.
There are other possible sources of tennis elbow symptoms. The McKenzie Method/MDT assessment can also identify other less common sources of lateral elbow pain and treat them accordingly.
There are other possible sources of tennis elbow symptoms. The McKenzie Method/MDT assessment can also identify other less common sources of lateral elbow pain and treat them accordingly.
Neck problems
Joint problems
Tendon Changes
Neck problems
Pain diagnosed as tennis elbow can be coming from the neck. Just as sciatica can send pain down the leg, the neck can cause pain in the arm. Pressure on the nerves of the neck can cause direct pain in the elbow without necessarily causing neck pain. It can also cause changes in the functioning of the nerve which can impact the tissues around the lateral epicondyle. It is important to determine if the neck is a factor in your case as many persistent tennis elbow problems have a cervical (neck) component that has never been identified. At Montreal's Active Solution Physiotherapy our scientific “cause-and-effect” assessment procedure will clearly demonstrate the presence or absence of a cervical component to your Tennis Elbow.
Joint problems
A mechanical problem in the joints of the elbow can also be the primary cause of pain in the lateral elbow. Many different structures have been identified in the joints of the elbow that could cause a mechanical disruption to normal movements, meaning that something may be getting caught in the joint and impeding normal movement. It has been observed for decades that movements (mobilisations / manipulations) of the elbow can cause rapid changes in the symptoms of patients with tennis elbow.
Tendon Changes
The third common source of problems in patients with tennis elbow is changes in the tendon. These can occur as a result of a gradual accumulation of micro-trauma (from overuse) or from an acute trauma. When this type of cause has been identified (including thorough testing which has eliminated the neck and elbow joints as causes of your symptoms).
HOW CAN PHYSIO HELP?
Proper treatment of Tennis elbow requires determining the true source of the symptoms. There are three main possibilities (neck, elbow joint and elbow tendon) that need to be examined to determine the true cause of these symptoms in each case. At Montreal's Active Solution Physiotherapy we use the McKenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT) which involves a systematic approach to properly classify the source of your Tennis Elbow / Lateral Epicondylitis symptoms.
- Neck exercises, posture and mobilisations may be used to treat an active cervical component and rapid improvements are often seen within the initial 1-2 sessions.
- Elbow movement exercises and mobilisations may be used to treat a problem in the joint and rapid changes are normally seen within the initial 1-2 sessions.
- Improvements are slower when treating tendon changes and normally require two weeks to be evident. treatment will focus on very specific stretching and/or strengthening exercises using an established protocol that has shown good results.
Be Your Own Solution!
If you have any questions regarding how McKenzie physiotherapy can help, please do not hesitate to contact us by filling out this form.
