Written by Georgie Nesbitt
How can I keep doing the things I love without the side effects?
What is tennis elbow?
Tennis elbow, clinically known as lateral epicondylitis, is the name given to the inflammation in the elbow caused by repetitive use of the muscles. Although branded as ‘tennis elbow’, this condition can affect a wide range of people. From cooks, painters, and builders; anybody who overuses their elbow joint may experience this condition. So, please do not feel wary in booking an appointment to see what is happening in your body and to see how we can help you to recover.
What are the symptoms?
To put it simply, the most common symptom of tennis elbow is pain and discomfort in your elbow joint – generally in the upper forearm (just at the elbow bend). This pain, if left untreated, often progresses into constant aggravation and it may sometimes be too painful to touch. If you are unsure about the pain in your elbow or anywhere else in your body – do not hesitate to book an appointment with one of our osteopaths to get it sorted as soon as possible!
How can osteopathy help?
Osteopathy is one of the most effective forms of treatment for tennis elbow. Our practitioner’s assess the body as a whole to recognise whether there are underlying reasons for your pain. After this, during treatment, they will massage and manipulate the area to help ease your symptoms whilst also addressing the cause of the problem. Once your session is complete, one of our practitioners will send you away with some gentle stretches and exercises to complete daily before your next appointment. These exercises will help to relieve the stress in the joint and will aid the treatment given by our osteopaths. Following these treatment sessions along with your at-home personalised programme, your recovery time will be faster than you would think, and you will be able to get back to doing what you love in no time!
How long will it take for me to recover?
If left untreated, tennis elbow usually lasts anywhere between 6 months to 2 years. It is therefore important to receive treatment as soon as possible to speed up your recovery time and allow you to continue doing the things you love. There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to muscle recovery, but usually, treatment will last around 3-12 weeks depending on how your body reacts and how dedicated you are to at-home exercises and stretches. Our osteopaths will guide you through the recovery process and keep you updated on your progression throughout! We want to ensure you never have to miss out on doing those things you love!
What next?
At Solihull Osteopathic Practice, we pride ourselves on offering quality and professional support to help everyone who comes to us achieve optimal health. Our practice operates in a safe and clean environment, offering osteopathy techniques and a holistic approach to wellbeing, to deliver the best results we possibly can for you.
You can book your first appointment online or can call our team on 0121 705 4499.