Tennis elbow, golfer's elbow - elbow pain does not only occur in athletes
At first glance, the two terms tennis elbow and golfer's elbow appear to be closely linked to excessive sporting exertion. However, corresponding pain and functional restrictions in the elbow joint often also occur in people who have never held a tennis racket or golf club in their life.
Does your elbow joint hurt a lot?
Tennis elbow or golfer's elbow can be characterised by sudden, very severe stabbing, pulling or pressing pain in the elbow area. However, a considerable number of patients are not affected acutely, but chronically. From case to case, the elbow pain can also be associated with a sensation of heat in the joint.
Overloading or incorrect loading lead to irritation of the muscle insertions and cause elbow pain
Whether during sport, certain professional activities or simply in everyday life: the elbow joint has to withstand considerable strain during a wide range of activities. Just think of carrying full shopping bags or constant typing on the computer. If the elbow joint is subjected to too much strain as a result of such activities or incorrect loading, it can signal this overload with elbow pain. Of course, overloading during sport can also be a possible cause. However, we very often observe a close connection with blockages and muscle tension in the shoulder-neck region. Effective treatment therefore always includes the treatment of blockages in the lower cervical spine, the first rib and muscle tension or trigger points in the shoulder girdle.
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Tennis elbow or golfer's elbow: What's the difference?
In principle, both terms are used for pronounced pain in the elbow. In medicine, we speak of tennis elbow when the easily palpable protrusion of the humerus on the outside of the joint is affected. If, on the other hand, the pain tends to originate from the inside of the joint, the term golfer's elbow has become established. The tendons for the extensor muscles of the wrist and fingers are located on the outside of the joint, while the attachment points for the flexor muscles of the wrist and fingers are located on the inside of the elbow. In the case of tennis elbow or golfer's elbow, irritation and corresponding severe pain occur in the area of these muscular attachment points.
In the treatment of tennis elbow and golfer's elbow, the first step is to reduce the necessary overloading and incorrect loading on the joint and, as mentioned above, to eliminate functional disorders and blockages in the cervical spine, the first rib and the shoulder neck muscles. For specific treatment, we offer you a very effective treatment concept in our practice for orthopaedics and osteopathy in Freiburg, especially for chronic tennis elbow or golfer's elbow.
A combination therapy of extracorporeal shock wave therapy ESWT, acupuncture, osteopathy and special stretching exercises has proven effective.
You can find our own exercises for tennis elbow and golfer's elbow here.
This form of treatment can help us to avoid preparations such as cortisone and anti-rheumatic drugs in individual patients and thus to plan treatment with virtually no side effects.
As supplementary therapy components, I can incorporate laser therapy or kinesiotaping as targeted pain therapy for the elbow and, if necessary, support this with relief using a support or orthosis.
If you notice that pain in your elbow is making your everyday life more difficult, please do not hesitate to contact us. At our practice for orthopaedics and osteopathy in Freiburg, you will benefit from our holistic approach and many complementary treatment options from alternative medicine.
