As Chicagoans are entering another year of the pandemic and in full swing with winter, Chicagoans are migrating to indoor sports such as pickleball, indoor tennis, volleyball, and basketball to name a few. Considering how sports are a major way to relieve stress associated with working from home, it is important to exercise. However, during sports or exercise classes, one can injure one’s elbow resulting in outer elbow and forearm pain. Chiropractic care and ART can help quickly to reduce one’s pain and improve one’s function to minimize time away from what you enjoy.

Tennis elbow, AKA lateral epicondylitis occurs from overuse of forearm extensor muscles (on top of your forearm). Most people think that you can only get tennis elbow from playing tennis, but this is quite inaccurate. The key to eliminating tennis elbow is to have a health care provider who specializes in treating sports injuries and ART to evaluate this to determine the cause, and to reduce your pain. ART providers can quickly identify which tissue is leading to one’s symptoms to speed up recovery. ART will help to decrease scar tissue and improve both mobility and flexibility of elbow and wrist.

ART providers look at the various muscles contributing to tennis elbow, and must examine & evaluate wrist and shoulder mechanics additionally to fully ensure proper treatment. ART will eliminate scar tissue quickly and alongside chiropractic manipulation to enhance one’s active range of motion, movement, and function. Also, incorporating stretching and corrective exercises to stabilize through the shoulder and wrist will help one’s elbow. Often with tennis elbow cases, the elbow will usually overuse due to poor mechanics and/or stability through one’s wrist and/or shoulder. Ensuring that these 2 areas are treated as part of your treatment plan too will likely minimize future episodes. It may take time depending on how chronic and long-standing one’s tennis elbow is, but addressing it quickly will often lead a to shorter recovery and no limitations in one’s daily activities (possibly with grasping/holding objects, playing your sport).

Don’t let Tennis Elbow slow you down this winter!