Tennis Elbow Treatment

Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis, or lateral elbow tendinopathy) is pain centred on the bony point on the outside of the elbow, where the tendons of the forearm muscles that extend the wrist attach. Despite the name, the vast majority of cases have nothing to do with tennis: manual work, DIY, lifting, gardening, and sustained computer and mouse use are far more common triggers.

It is a tendinopathy, a problem of tendon load capacity rather than simple inflammation, which is why rest alone rarely fixes it and why treatment is built around progressive loading. At Lower Limb Clinic our clinicians assess the elbow, wrist, and neck to confirm the diagnosis, with in-house diagnostic ultrasound available to visualise the tendon where needed.

Full-body physiotherapy is now available at Lower Limb Clinic in Belfast. Book online to see our physiotherapist.

The strongest evidence for tennis elbow supports progressive loading rehabilitation: starting with isometric holds to settle pain, then building through strengthening of the wrist extensors, grip, and the whole kinetic chain including the shoulder. We combine this with load management advice so the aggravating activity is modified rather than simply abandoned, manual therapy where it helps symptoms, and shockwave therapy for stubborn, long-standing cases. We generally avoid corticosteroid injection for tennis elbow, as research shows it can worsen long-term outcomes despite short-term relief.