As Daylight Savings Time occurs tomorrow, days are getting longer and hopefully, that means less cold weather and increased warmer weather for Chicagoans.  As winter sportsChiropractic Care for Winter Sports Will Keep You Active in the Cold! transition into spring, more Chicagoans will move from playing pickleball and tennis indoors to outdoors.

Considering how popular pickleball has grown in the past few years and how tennis continues to remain a mainstay, Chicagoans and Lincoln Park residents continue to stay active, injuries most often occur in these racquet sports to the elbow and forearm resulting in tennis elbow.  If these injuries were to occur while playing or from playing, there is an effective way to treat tennis elbow, AKA lateral epicondylitis (inflammation of the outer elbow where the muscles and tendons attach).  Specifically, Active Release Techniques (ART) is quite helpful and effective at treating this injuries. Most ART providers are chiropractors in Chicago, so seeing someone for tennis elbow will likely get you back to playing from getting the answers you seek to help with your injury.

Active Release Techniques is a hands-on, movement-based stretching technique used to treat tennis elbow that occurs from repetitive motion and overuse of your outer elbow and forearm.  The injury results in inflammation, weakness, micro-tearing of the muscles and tendons, and a possible loss of function.  ART helps in the following ways:

•Breaking down scar tissue to reduce tension

•Restoring proper movement between muscles and nerves

•Reducing pain and improving circulation

•Increasing flexibility of your elbow and/or forearm, and strength

ART providers will properly examine the elbow and forearm assessing for strength, range of motion, and flexibility to develop a treatment plan that best suits your goals.  They will feel and palpate the outer elbow and forearm to understand what muscle(s)/tendon(s) are impacting your injury to ensure proper treatment when administered.  There are approximately 7 muscles/tendons and 1 ligament that can contribute to tennis elbow.  Having the ART provider determine the exact soft tissue(s) during their exam will allow them to treat your injury properly and quickly, alongside offering recommendations.

Incorporating chiropractic manipulation to the elbow and/or forearm reduces inflammation, improves alignment for the tissues to move with more ease, and reduces pain.  Moreover, taping of the forearm/elbow and rehab exercises involving stretching of these muscles and strengthening of the forearm flexors (located on the bottom of the forearm that help to curl the wrist and fingers) are likely necessary to aid in your recovery, reduce injury, and minimize flare ups.  

ART can be highly effective when combined with proper rehabilitation exercises and chiropractic adjustments, including possibly modifying your grip when holding a racquet/paddle for these sports. For the fastest results, visit an ART chiropractor who can work with you to treat your tennis elbow and tailor the right plan for your needs to feel better!