Our Tennis Elbow treatment program is suitable for both acute and chronic lateral epicondylitis-related injuries.
The following methods form part of our full rehabilitation program created by elite sports physiotherapist Paul Tanner.
Tennis Elbow treatment phase 1
Phase 1 for Tennis Elbow treatment begins as soon as possible following injury. The aim of phase 1 is to reduce pain and inflammation.
Rest
Complete rest, and limit lifting and gripping if possible.
Cold & compression
Apply ice or a cold compression wrap to reduce pain and inflammation, especially if your elbow is acutely painful. Apply cold for no more than 15 minutes as the injured tissues are very close to the skin and do not need longer.
Ice should be wrapped in a wet tea towel to avoid ice burns, or better still use a commercially available cold therapy compression wrap. Apply 3 times a day, or every 2 hours for 10 minutes.
Bracing
Wearing a counterforce brace (tennis elbow brace) can help reduce the strain on the tendon enabling healing to take place.
This works by applying compression around the upper arm which puts pressure on the injured tendon, changing the way forces are transmitted, and allowing the injured tissues to rest.
Note: Try to keep the brace on for most of the day if possible.
Posture per day for Tennis Elbow treatment
Posture is really important when rehabilitating the shoulder. Sit up nice and tall, and pull the shoulders back, then squeeze your shoulder blades together.
Hold your head up, imagine that a balloon is tied to your head and is lifting it up, then sit and maintain this position for 30 seconds.
Exit criteria
Move onto phase 2 when your normal daily activities are pain-free and are likely to be at least 2 weeks.
Access the full Tennis Elbow treatment program on our mobile app
Tennis Elbow treatment phase 2
The aim of phase 2 is to gradually increase the load through your Elbow. It compromises:
• Cold therapy
• Bracing
• 1 mobility exercise
• 2 strengthening exercises
Exit criteria
Move onto phase 3 when you have:
- No pain 24 hrs post isometric exercise
- Pain-free ADLs
- Stretching without pain
Tennis Elbow treatment phase 3
The aim of phase 3 is to further increase the load through the tendon in an increased range. It comprises:
• Cold therapy
• Massage
• Bracing
• 1 mobility exercise
• 2 strengthening exercises
Exit Criteria
Move onto phase 4 when:
- The exercises are pain-free
- No pain 24 hours post-exercise
- Normal daily activities are pain-free
- The stretch is not painful
- The area is not tender to touch
Phase 4
The aim of phase 4 is to further increase the load through the tendon using eccentric exercises. It compromises:
• Cold therapy
• Massage
• Bracing
• 2 strengthening exercises
Exit criteria for Tennis elbow treatment
To complete the program you should be:
- Pain-free 24 hours after eccentric
- Have no pain during daily life
