Current Evidence in Management of Tennis Elbow

Lateral epicondylitis or tennis elbow is a painful condition that occurs when tendons of the elbow are overloaded. Tennis elbow can develop when there are repetitive motions of the wrist and arm. Common among tennis players, it can also develop in non-athletes. Current evidence suggests that therapy can be more cost effective than a cortisone injection or surgery. 

Our hand therapist Shyamala Gopalan, OTR/L, CHT presented recently at the Annual Conference for Hand Therapists in Washington DC along with our hand surgeon Dr. Noah Raizman, on the "Current evidence in the treatment of Tennis Elbow”. 

Current research includes the following recommendations:

• 4-6 visits over 12-16 weeks can help reduce pain and improve function of the elbow. Education in self management and the use of an orthosis in the short term in acute cases can help in treatment of lateral epicondyle tendinopathy. 
• Stretching can be effective when used in combination with other interventions. Some research exists to support the use of eccentric strengthening to reduce pain and improve function in the short term. 
• Postural retraining that includes the shoulder, scapula, and forearm muscles can help improve deficits. 
• Patient education in combination with other therapies have proven to be effective. Education including pathoanatomy of lateral epicondyle tendinopathy, activity modification, pain relief techniques, posture, stretching, and workplace ergonomics have all shown to be effective. 
• Interventions including taping, dry needling, and acupuncture have shown to be helpful in providing short term pain relief. 
• Mobilization is supported by moderate evidence for short and mid-term effects including manipulation of the cervical and thoracic spine in addition to strengthening. 
• Think in Length and Layers (TINLL) is a broad framework that combines mobilization, taping, and isometrics has shown to be effective treatment. 

If you're having pain in the elbow, the therapists at OMS can help improve your pain and restore function in your arm.