Tennis Elbow and Golfer's Elbow Treatment in Canary Wharf
Pain on the outside or inside of the elbow, provoked by gripping, lifting a mug or shaking hands. Most cases have nothing to do with either sport, and both respond to progressive loading of the tendon.
Overview
Understanding tennis elbow and golfer's elbow
Tennis elbow is pain on the outside of the elbow where the wrist extensor tendons attach. Golfer's elbow is the same problem on the inside, affecting the wrist flexor tendons. Despite the names, most people who develop either have never played the sport it is named after.
The provoking activities are ordinary: gripping, carrying, lifting a full mug, opening a jar, using a mouse for long periods, or a sharp increase in pull-ups, deadlifts, kettlebell work or racquet sport. The tendon was asked for more grip and load than it had adapted to.
Like other tendon problems, the older name ending in "itis" is misleading. There is little inflammation involved. The tissue shows overload-related change, which is why rest and anti-inflammatories often provide temporary relief while the problem returns as soon as normal gripping resumes.
The treatment that changes the outcome is progressive loading of the affected tendon and the grip, alongside temporary modification of the most provocative activities. Assessment also checks the neck and the shoulder, since both can refer pain to the elbow and are a common reason a well-run elbow programme fails to work. Care runs through physiotherapy.
Physiotherapy for tennis and golfer's elbow can help you to:
Confirm which tendon is involved
Outside and inside elbow pain need loading in different directions. Testing grip and resisted wrist movement establishes which one you have, and rules out the joint itself as the source.
Check whether the neck is contributing
A nerve root in the neck can refer pain to the elbow. This is a frequent reason a sensible elbow programme fails, so the assessment covers the neck and shoulder as a matter of course.
Grip and carry without the sharp pain
The everyday provocations, a full mug, a laptop bag, a door handle, are usually what people most want back. They tend to improve early once loading starts at the right level.
Rebuild grip and forearm strength
Progressive loading of the tendon is the part that changes the outcome, and it is what rest alone leaves out. The programme builds over months, matching the pace tendons adapt at.
Keep training through it
Pulling work can usually continue with straps or a changed grip while direct gripping load is reduced. Keeping the rest of your training intact protects strength you would otherwise lose.
Why it happens
What causes tennis elbow and golfer's elbow?
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A sharp increase in gripping load, such as pull-ups, deadlifts, kettlebells or climbing
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Starting or increasing a racquet sport, or a change of racquet, grip size or string tension
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Long periods of mouse and keyboard use, particularly with an unsupported forearm
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Repetitive DIY, carrying or manual work over a short period
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Reduced grip, forearm and shoulder strength relative to the demand being placed on them
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A previous episode that settled without the tendon strength ever being rebuilt
Treatment approach
How do we treat tennis elbow and golfer's elbow?
Physiotherapy
On enquiryConfirms which tendon is involved, checks the neck and shoulder as potential referral sources, and builds the progressive grip and forearm loading programme that is first-line treatment. Also sets which activities to temporarily modify while capacity is rebuilt.
See treatment detail →Sports Massage
On enquiryAdjunctive soft-tissue work for the forearm and upper arm during a loading block. It can make the strengthening more comfortable to perform, and it does not rebuild tendon capacity on its own.
See treatment detail →Return-to-Sport Rehabilitation
On enquiryFor a return to racquet sport, climbing or heavy gripping work, progresses loading through the specific demands of the activity with grip strength compared against the other side before full training resumes.
See treatment detail →FAQ
Frequently asked
questions
Do I need to have played tennis to get tennis elbow?
No. Most people who develop it have never played. The tendon responds to gripping load of any kind, so pull-ups, deadlifts, kettlebells, carrying, DIY and long periods of mouse use are all far more common triggers than racquet sport in the people we see.
How long does tennis elbow take to settle?
Typically three to six months of consistent loading, and longer where it has been present for a year or more. Tendons adapt slowly. Improvement is usually gradual rather than sudden, and stopping the programme when the pain eases is the most common reason it returns.
Do elbow straps and braces work?
They can reduce pain during provocative activity for some people, which makes them useful as a short-term aid. They do not change the underlying tendon capacity, so they work best alongside a loading programme rather than as a treatment on their own.
Should I stop going to the gym?
Usually not entirely. Most people can continue training with modifications, reducing direct gripping load while maintaining the rest. Straps, a different bar or a change of grip often allow pulling work to continue. Removing training completely tends to leave the tendon weaker than before.
Could my elbow pain be coming from my neck?
It can. A nerve root in the neck can refer pain into the forearm and elbow, and this is a common reason a well-run elbow programme does not work. Assessment includes the neck and shoulder for that reason, particularly where pins and needles are present.
What does treatment for tennis or golfer's elbow involve?
Progressive loading of the tendon and the grip, changes to what is aggravating it at a desk or in the gym, and patience, because tendons respond over months. Canary Wharf Physio checks the neck as part of the assessment, since referred pain from there is a common reason an elbow programme is not working.
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Canary Wharf Physio • Unit 7, 30 South Colonnade, London E14 5HX
BookAppointments typically available within 1–2 weeks