Tennis elbow is a problem that causes pain on the outside of the elbow. It happens when the tendons in the forearm get injured from repetitive arm movements, not just from playing tennis. This condition can make it hard to do daily activities. Luckily, physical therapy can help. Also, physical therapy is a treatment that doesn’t involve surgery and has been shown to be effective for managing chronic tennis elbow. It can reduce pain, help the elbow heal, and restore normal function. In this blog post, we will discuss how physical therapy plays a crucial role in relieving pain, promoting healing, and improving the elbow for people with chronic tennis elbow.
Understanding Chronic Tennis Elbow
Chronic tennis elbow happens when the first phase of the injury doesn’t heal well or when there’s ongoing stress on the affected area. However, this can cause long-lasting pain, weakness, and difficulty moving the arm. These symptoms can make it hard to do daily activities and enjoy sports or hobbies.
The Role of Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is important in treating chronic tennis elbow because it helps with both the symptoms and the reasons behind the condition. Here are the main ways physical therapy can help in getting better:
Comprehensive Evaluation:
A physical therapist will carefully examine your condition to understand how serious it is, find out what might be causing it, and create a personalized treatment plan just for you. During this evaluation, they may check things like how strong you are, how flexible you are, how far you can move your arm, how you hold yourself, and how your body moves.
Pain Management:
Physical therapists use different methods to help make the pain and swelling in the affected area go down. They might use things like ice packs or warm towels, special machines that send sound waves to the area, gentle electrical pulses, or hands-on techniques to ease the discomfort. In addition, these methods can help you feel better and make the healing process more comfortable.
Manual Therapy Techniques:
Physical therapists use hands-on techniques like massage, stretching muscles and joints, and gently moving them to improve how flexible the tissues are. This can help increase the blood flow to the area and make the healing process faster. These techniques also help to break down any tough scar tissue or sticky areas that can slow down recovery.
Therapeutic Exercises:
Physical therapists give you special exercises to make your muscles and tendons stronger in your elbow, forearm, and wrist. Furthermore, this exercises help you become more flexible, move your arm better, and make your joints stronger. They may also include exercises where you slowly lower or resist weight to help manage chronic tennis elbow. These exercises have been proven to be especially helpful for this condition.
Ergonomic and Biomechanical Education:
An important part of physical therapy is teaching patients the right way to move and use their bodies during everyday activities and sports. Also, this helps prevent getting injured again and makes symptoms better. Physical therapists can show you how to change your movements and use the right equipment to put less pressure on the sore tendons. This way, you can protect your body and lower the chances of making the problem worse.
Gradual Return to Activity:
As you get better, physical therapists will help you slowly start doing activities and playing sports again. They will help you know how much you can do without getting hurt again. Also, they will also teach you ways to stay safe and prevent future injuries. They will introduce the movements slowly so you don’t have any setbacks in your recovery.
Conclusion
Chronic tennis elbow can be really frustrating and make it hard to do things, but physical therapy can help you get better. Physical therapists use different methods to manage pain, do hands-on therapy, give you specific exercises, teach you how to move properly, and gradually get you back to your normal activities. They play a big role in reducing pain, improving how your elbow works, and making your life better if you have chronic tennis elbow. If you’re having symptoms of tennis elbow, don’t wait to see a physical therapist. They can make a personalized plan to help you feel better and do your daily activities without pain.
Don’t let tennis elbow hold you back from the activities you love. Take the first step towards a pain-free life by scheduling an appointment at Kinito Physical Therapy today. Regain your strength, restore your mobility, and reclaim your quality of life with our specialized care. Remember, you don’t have to face chronic tennis elbow alone. Visit Kinito Physical Therapy and let us be your partner in healing. Your journey to recovery starts here.
