Tennis Elbow

What is tennis elbow and how can physical therapy help? Tennis elbow, also known as lateral epicondylitis, is a painful condition caused by excessive use of of the extensor muscles in your forearm and arm, specifically where tendons attach to the rounded projections on the outside of the elbow. The same muscles that you use to grip, twist and carry objects with are attached to the lateral epicondyle at the elbow. Therefore, even a movement with the hand or wrist can still cause tons of pain in the elbow.

Furthermore, tennis elbow can happen to anyone —- athletes, businessmen, adults, children, etc. Tennis elbow is most common between the ages 30 and 50, and usually a bit more common in men than woman. Nevertheless, certain lifestyle habits increase one’s chances of getting tennis elbow. Excessive use of the hand or wrist while operating machinery or a computer and of course, playing tennis, all are major causes of tennis elbow.

Some of the symptoms that derive from tennis elbow are:

• Pain in the wrist and forearm
• Stiffness in the elbow
• Weakness in the arm
• Major pain in wrist and hand for lifting objects, gripping objects tightly or turning of the wrists

Physical therapists will work with patients by examining what has caused the tennis elbow. In addition to examining the elbow, physical therapists will see how other parts of your body have been affected.  Physical therapy will improve your mobility and strength rather quickly. They will have the patient conduct wrists and and elbow exercises without using your muscles. As you begin to make progress, your physical therapists may have you carefully use weights in order to strengthen your muscles, but do not re-injure them.

Your physical therapist will help to increase your muscle strength with careful exercises and stretches without aggravating the elbow, wrist or forearm more. Slowly but steadily, physical therapy will help improve your arm back to full health!

Did you know that you have Direct Access to Physical Therapy? No referral is needed. We offer the best Physical Therapy on Long Island where you can get help from our trusted and expert Physical Therapists. We have several locations on Long Island including Massapequa, Valley Stream, Wantagh and Lindenhurst. To start your Physical Therapy evaluation, call Park Physical Therapy and The Physical Therapy Alliance at (516) 568-4444.