Tennis Elbow and Golfer’s Elbow: Assessment and Care
Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow can develop in many different settings, from work and gym training to sport and everyday activities. These conditions involve the tendons around the elbow and can be associated with repetitive gripping, lifting or loading. At Living Health Group, we assess your symptoms, movement and activity demands before developing an individualised management plan based on your needs and goals.
Osteopathy · Myotherapy · Remedial MassageWheelers Hill, near Glen Waverley
What Are Tennis Elbow and Golfer’s Elbow?
Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylalgia) involves pain around the outside of the elbow, where the forearm tendons attach. Activities involving gripping, lifting or repeated use of the wrist and forearm can aggravate symptoms.
Golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylalgia) affects the inside of the elbow and involves a different group of forearm tendons. Despite the names, both conditions can occur with work, gym, sport and everyday activities.
Symptoms can develop when the demands placed on the tendons exceed what they are currently accustomed to. Changes in training, workload or repetitive activities may all be relevant, which is why understanding what you do day-to-day forms an important part of the assessment.
Common Signs and Symptoms
Pain or discomfort around the outside of the elbow, or the inside for golfer’s elbow, particularly with gripping or lifting
Discomfort or weakness with tasks such as lifting, twisting a jar lid or carrying objects
Tenderness around the bony area on the inside or outside of the elbow
Stiffness or discomfort after periods of rest or increased use of the arm
These symptoms can overlap with other elbow, joint or nerve-related conditions, which is why an assessment can help determine what may be contributing to your symptoms.
How We Approach Tennis Elbow
Your care starts with understanding you, your symptoms and the factors that may be contributing to them. From there, we develop an individualised management plan based on your assessment, activity demands and goals.
1. Assess
We assess your elbow alongside relevant movement, strength and function through the wrist, forearm, shoulder and neck, while considering your work, training and everyday activities.
2. Treat
Depending on your presentation, management may include hands-on treatment, advice around activity or load modification, and strategies to help you continue using your arm where appropriate.
3. Build
Progressive strengthening and exercise rehabilitation may be incorporated into your plan, with exercises tailored to your assessment, symptoms and activity demands.
4. Return
Where appropriate, we develop a gradual plan for returning to work, sport, gym or other activities based on your individual needs and goals.
Meet our practitioners
Tennis elbow treatment at Living Health Group is provided by our osteopaths, with myotherapy and remedial massage available alongside. Golfer’s elbow treatment follows the same assessment-first approach, and elbow pain that is limiting your grip or your work is worth having assessed early.
Dr Andrew Moerenhout (Osteopath)
Osteopath
Neck and back pain, sporting injuries and movement-related conditions, with exercise-based rehabilitation and dry needling where appropriate.
Tennis elbow treatment at our Wheelers Hill clinic
Assessment, hands-on care and progressive strengthening under one roof, near Glen Waverley, with parking directly outside the clinic.
Common questions
How do osteopaths approach tennis elbow?
We start by assessing your elbow and considering the activities, training or work demands that may be contributing to your symptoms. Depending on your presentation, care may include hands-on treatment, activity or load modification and progressive strengthening exercises tailored to your needs and goals.
Should I just rest it?
Rest may help reduce symptoms in some situations, but gradually reintroducing appropriate activity and strengthening is often an important part of managing tendon-related elbow pain. The amount and type of exercise will depend on your individual presentation.
Do you treat golfer’s elbow too?
Yes. We assess and manage golfer’s elbow as well as tennis elbow. While golfer’s elbow affects the tendons on the inside of the elbow, your management plan will be based on your individual symptoms, activities and goals.
How long until I feel better?
Recovery time varies depending on your symptoms, how long they have been present and the demands you place on your arm. We monitor your progress and adjust your management plan as needed rather than setting a fixed recovery timeframe.
Book an appointment at our Wheelers Hill clinic, near Glen Waverley. We’ll take the time to understand your concerns, assess what may be contributing to your symptoms and tailor your care to your individual needs and goals.
This page provides general information only and is not intended to provide a diagnosis or replace individual healthcare advice. Outcomes vary between individuals. Our practitioners assess each person before recommending care. Osteopaths at Living Health Group are registered with AHPRA.
