🎾 It’s Not Just for Tennis Players: Why Your Elbow Hurts and What to Do About It
- Whit Voss
- Jul 15
- 3 min read
Let’s talk about that annoying elbow pain that shows up when you lift a pan, pick up a dumbbell, or even just reach for your coffee. You might not play tennis, but if that pain is on the outside of your elbow and just won’t quit—it might be lateral epicondylitis, better known as tennis elbow.
Yes, it has a sporty name, but most of the people we help with this issue are parents, weekend warriors, desk workers, baristas, and DIYers who use their hands a lot. If that’s you, read on.
🎯 So, What Is Tennis Elbow?
Tennis elbow is an overuse injury that affects the tendons on the outside of your elbow, especially the ones responsible for wrist and finger extension (like when you're holding something or typing). Over time—without any major trauma—these tendons develop small tears and become inflamed or irritated. This can make even simple tasks feel frustrating and painful.
🚨 Common Symptoms
If you’re dealing with tennis elbow, you might notice:
A dull ache or sharp pain on the outside of your elbow
Pain that worsens when lifting, gripping, or twisting (like opening jars or turning a doorknob)
Tenderness when pressing on the bony bump on the outside of your elbow
Weakened grip strength
Forearm tension or tightness that just won’t go away
It might come and go at first, but if you don’t address it, it usually gets worse—and more limiting.
🧪 How We Figure Out What’s Going On
In our office, we go beyond just poking at the sore spot. We use a few simple, non-invasive tests to make sure the elbow pain isn’t coming from a nerve or your neck.
Some of the go-to checks:
Cozen’s Test: We have you resist wrist extension. If that hurts the outer elbow, it’s a strong clue.
Mill’s Test: We stretch your forearm tendons. Pain here often confirms tendon irritation.
Maudsley’s Test: Resistance on your middle finger can help us isolate the irritated tendon group.
We also assess shoulder movement, neck mobility, and wrist mechanics—because elbow pain is often the result of a breakdown elsewhere.
💪 Treatment That Goes Beyond Rest and Ice
Let’s be honest—icing and resting might calm things down for a few days, but they don’t fix the problem. Our goal is to not only get you out of pain, but also to stop the injury from coming back.
Here’s how we do it:
✅ Targeted Muscle Work
We use soft tissue techniques like myofascial release and instrument-assisted therapy to loosen up the irritated forearm muscles and break up adhesions that keep pulling on the tendon.
✅ Joint Adjusting
If the elbow, wrist, shoulder, or even your neck aren’t moving well, your elbow can take the hit. Gentle chiropractic adjustments help restore movement and reduce overload on the tendon.
✅ Smart Rehab
This is the secret sauce. You’ll learn how to strengthen the tendon safely and retrain your body to move better. A few key exercises we often use:
Isometric wrist extensions to calm down pain
Eccentric loading (slow lowering) to build tendon strength
Grip training for real-life carryover
Shoulder and postural drills to fix upstream movement issues
Most patients are shocked at how much relief they feel once we treat the cause instead of chasing symptoms.
🎉 Bottom Line
You don’t need to play tennis to get tennis elbow—and you definitely don’t need to live with it. If elbow pain is slowing you down or stopping you from doing what you love (even if that’s just holding a coffee cup comfortably), let’s fix it.
We take a hands-on, whole-body approach to treatment, with customized rehab that helps you get out of pain and stay that way.
Book an appointment today and let’s get your elbow back in the game—even if that game is just life.
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