In most cases, tennis elbow is not an acute inflammatory process, but develops over time through recurring small injuries (microtraumas) and inflammation. These can be caused, for example, by incorrect loading and excessive strain on the forearm muscles. The healing of the micro-traumas is prevented by the recurring strain, so that the tendons are repeatedly damaged. Tennis elbow is therefore usually rather degenerative.
Physiotherapy
Tennis elbow can be treated in many different ways, depending on where the pain comes from and which treatment method is appropriate for your individual situation. In the beginning, conservative and/or drug treatment is recommended to avoid premature surgery. This includes ointment dressings, injection of glucocorticoids and administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Physiotherapeutic treatment also falls within the scope of conservative therapies. Here, functional massages, transverse friction and stretching exercises as well as active movement training for the arm are performed. Movement training aims to promote the coordination of the forearm muscles and thus improve their interaction.
For this purpose, specific exercises are performed, which especially train the controlled relaxation of the muscles (eccentric training). By improving the coordination of the muscles, overstrain and bad posture are corrected and prevented for the future. In addition, some practices offer cryotherapy, ultrasound and shock wave therapy, which can also be helpful for this type of complaint.
Cryotherapy includes treatments with cold, while shock wave therapy involves the introduction of pressure waves into the body to promote the healing of injured tendons. In addition to the “classical” treatment options, therapies from herbal medicine, acupuncture and homeopathy are also promising. or physiotherapy for tendon insertion irritation (insertion tendopathy), homeopathyFor conservative therapy to be effective, your involvement as a patient and the time at which therapy is started is of great importance.
The earlier you start, the higher the chances of success. Exercises that you are shown in the physiotherapeutic treatment, you should definitely do at home to support the success of the treatment in the best possible way. This includes, for example, stretching exercises and active movement exercises that you can perform independently.
In some cases the tennis elbow is also taped for immobilization. You can find more information in the article Taping Tennis Elbow. If the conservative therapy does not work, surgery may be able to help.
For example, this can be considered in the case of a rupture of the tendon (tendon rupture) or a chronic course. After such an operation, conservative methods are necessary again to promote the further healing process. Targeted physiotherapy is therefore appropriate in any case for this type of complaint.
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