Elbow pain · Ponsonby
Tennis elbow treatment that targets the cause
Most people we treat for tennis elbow have never held a racquet. It comes from gripping, lifting and repetitive work: tradies, gardeners, hairdressers, new parents lifting a baby, and people at a desk and mouse all day. The pain sits on the outside of the elbow and flares every time you grip, and it can drag on for months if it is not loaded correctly.
Does this sound like you?
- ✓ Pain on the bony outside of the elbow that flares when you grip or lift
- ✓ It hurts to shake hands, turn a key or carry a shopping bag
- ✓ A weak, tender grip that has not improved with rest
- ✓ It started after a spell of repetitive work or a new activity
If that sounds like you, this is exactly what we treat. Book an assessment and we will confirm the right plan.
Why tennis elbow lingers
Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis, is a load problem in the tendons that attach the forearm muscles to the outside of the elbow. Like other tendon injuries, resting it eases the pain but does not rebuild the tendon, so it flares again the moment you go back to the work or activity that caused it. Bracing and anti-inflammatories can take the edge off, but on their own they rarely solve it.
How we treat tennis elbow
We assess the elbow, the grip and the activities that aggravate it, then treat the cause rather than chasing the pain. For tennis elbow that has not settled, shockwave therapy stimulates the tendon to repair and reduces the pain enough to get you into the loading programme that actually rebuilds it. We also look at how you can modify the aggravating task so you are not undoing the work between sessions.
What recovery looks like
Tennis elbow can be slow because the tendon needs time and the right amount of load to remodel. We give you a clear, progressive home programme and adjust it as your grip strength returns, so you can keep working while you recover rather than stopping everything and hoping.
This is one of the injuries we treat with shockwave therapy at our Ponsonby clinic. Read more about how shockwave works, who it suits and what a course of treatment involves.
Common questions
Can I keep working during treatment? +
Does shockwave work for tennis elbow? +
Do I need a doctor's referral? +
Related
Other injuries we treat
Shockwave therapy in Ponsonby
How shockwave works, who it suits and what a course of treatment involves.
About shockwave therapy →Achilles tendonitis treatment
The niggle at the back of the heel that will not settle, even after months of rest and stretching.
Achilles Pain →Plantar fasciitis treatment
That sharp, stabbing heel pain on the first steps out of bed in the morning.
Heel Pain →Golfer's elbow treatment
Pain on the inside of the elbow from gripping and wrist work, and you have probably never played golf.
Golfer's Elbow →Rotator cuff and shoulder pain treatment
Persistent shoulder pain limiting your overhead movement and your sleep, from a strain that has not fully resolved.
Shoulder Pain →Trigger point treatment
Tight, aching muscle knots in the neck, shoulders or back that refer pain to other areas.
Trigger Points →Hamstring pain and tendon treatment
Recurring hamstring tightness or a deep ache at the sit bone that has not resolved with stretching or rest.
Hamstring Pain →Shin splints and shin pain treatment
Shin pain that comes back every time you build your running: shin splints that rest alone has not fixed.
Shin Pain →Shoulder and hip bursitis treatment
A burning, persistent pain in the shoulder or hip, and you want a solution beyond repeated injections.
Bursitis →Not sure if it's right for you?
Send us a message
Tell us what's going on and we'll come back to you within one business day.
Book your assessment
Your first visit is a full assessment, hands-on treatment, and a plan you take home.
Visit us
Our Ponsonby clinic
Return To Form Physio
179A Ponsonby Road
Ponsonby, Auckland 1011
Entry on Franklin Road
ACC registered · Multi-disciplinary team · Treating Ponsonby for over 16 years