Elbow, Wrist & Hand
Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis)
Also called: Lateral elbow tendinopathy
Overload of the wrist-extensor tendons at the outer elbow — from gripping and wrist work far more often than tennis: tools, keyboards, lifting. A true tendinopathy: it follows load rules, resolves with progressive strengthening, and famously outlasts everyone who only rests it.
Common signs
- Outer elbow pain, tender at the bony point
- Pain with gripping (handshakes, coffee cups, jar lids)
- Ache down the top of the forearm
- Weak, painful wrist extension against resistance
Seek help now if
- Elbow trauma with deformity or inability to move (fracture)
- Hot swollen joint with fever
- Numbness/tingling in the hand (assess nerve entrapment instead/also)
Any of these: call 911 or get to an emergency room first. Everything else can wait.
What to do first
- Calm the load: audit grip-intensive tasks and modify (tool size, keyboard setup, lifting style) — reduce, don't eliminate
- Start isometric wrist-extension holds, progressing to slow loaded wrist work — the evidence-backed core
- A counterforce brace can reduce pain during necessary tasks
If it's become chronic
- Run the progressive loading program honestly for 8–12 weeks — most cases resolve; nearly all improve
- Persistent cases: examine the neck and nerve mobility (referral mimics), technique/ergonomics, and total arm chain
- Injections: steroid helps short-term but worsens long-term outcomes — a trap worth knowing about
Natural healing options we use
- Progressive wrist-extensor loading program
- Manual therapy and instrument-assisted work for the forearm
- Chiropractic care for neck and upper-limb mechanics (cervical referral is a classic mimic)
- Attended e-stim; collagen + vitamin C support
About imaging
Clinical; ultrasound/MRI only for refractory or atypical cases.
Daily self-care
- Daily isometric-to-slow-loading doses
- Modify grips: bigger handles, neutral wrist
- Patience with tendon time — track monthly, not daily
How we can help
Neuro-Electrical Stimulation
Learn more →Radial Shockwave Therapy
Learn more →Dry Needling
Learn more →Red Light Therapy (Photobiomodulation)
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Please read: this page is education, not a diagnosis. A proper examination is how a condition gets confirmed and a plan gets built. See our medical disclaimer.