Tennis Elbow
Other Treatment
Other treatment for tennis elbow pain includes physical rehabilitation, acupuncture, topical nitric oxide, shock wave therapy, and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS).
Physical rehabilitation is combined with tendon rest to restore flexibility and build muscle strength. Rehabilitation is also necessary after surgery.
Other Treatment Choices
A physical rehabilitation program includes:
- Relieving pain.
- Maintaining good overall physical fitness.
- Exercising and physical therapy.
- Learning new techniques for certain movements; using equipment that best suits your ability, body size and strength; and limiting activities that require grasping or twisting arm movements.
- Retraining and ergonomic changes at your work site. For more information, see the topic Office Ergonomics.
Complementary or alternative medicine treatments
Complementary or alternative treatments are sometimes used along with traditional therapy to treat tennis elbow. Although there is no solid scientific evidence that these therapies relieve pain and restore elbow flexibility and strength, some people report them as helpful. Complementary or alternative treatments may include:
- Acupuncture. While small studies report significant tennis elbow relief after acupuncture treatment, a review of studies concludes that there is not yet enough evidence to support or refute this treatment.7
- Topical nitric oxide. In a "patch" form, nitric oxide is applied to the elbow to speed recovery. This medicine has been used as a treatment for tennis elbow for a short time. One study showed positive results.8
- Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). TENS is sometimes used to treat tennis elbow, usually in a physical therapy setting.
- Extracorporeal shock wave therapy. A review of shock wave therapy for tennis elbow had conflicting findings. While some studies reported that shock wave therapy improved tennis elbow recovery, others found that it offered no therapeutic benefit when compared to placebo treatment.9
What To Think About
A physical rehabilitation program not only helps heal injured tendons and muscles but also helps prevent further injury.
Physical rehabilitation combined with tendon rest is the main tennis elbow treatment. Corticosteroid injections are only considered if several weeks of rest and rehabilitation haven't improved symptoms. Surgery may be considered after 6 to 12 months of nonsurgical treatment.
If the type of work you do is causing your injury, an occupational therapist may help you change how you are working or the kind of work that you do.
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| Author: | Monica Rhodes | Last Updated: February 14, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Martin Gabica, MD - Family Medicine David Pichora, MD, FRCSC - Orthopedic Surgery | |
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