Tennis Elbow

Any activity that involves repetitive or rigorous use of the forearm may lead to tennis elbow, which causes a burning pain on the outer part of the bony joint. Zachary Perlman, DO, wants nothing more than for you to get back to your active lifestyle and offers innovative treatments for tennis elbow at Kai Sports Medicine in Little Silver, New Jersey. Call the office today or schedule an appointment with the sports medicine physician online for expert tennis elbow care.

What does tennis elbow feel like?

Tennis elbow, the more common name for lateral epicondylitis, is an overuse injury, and symptoms usually develop slowly over time. At first, you may feel mild pain or a burning sensation on the outer part of your elbow that may feel worse at night. 

Symptoms tend to worsen over weeks or months and cause swelling and stiffness in the joint. Tennis elbow may also weaken your grip.

I don’t play tennis. How did I get tennis elbow?

Tennis elbow develops when you have damage to the forearm muscle that helps stabilize the wrist and keep the elbow straight during activity. This damage usually occurs from overuse that weakens the muscle, leading to tiny tears and inflammation in the tissue. 

It’s called tennis elbow because tennis players engage in repetitive and rigorous movements of the forearm to play their game. Any recreational or work activity that requires this type of repetitive movement may cause tennis elbow. 

You may develop tennis elbow if you’re a painter, carpenter, or plumber. Weightlifters are also susceptible to this overuse injury.

When should I get help for tennis elbow?

You should schedule a consultation at Kai Sports Medicine if you have ongoing pain in the elbow that’s getting worse over time. Ignoring your pain won’t make it go away, and continuing to engage in repetitive forearm activities may make it worse.

Dr. Perlman offers innovative treatments that can reduce your pain, heal the damage, and restore function. He takes a patient-centered and holistic approach to care, asking detailed questions about your symptoms and your daily routine so he can identify the cause of your injury.

He performs a physical exam and may do imaging tests to rule out other conditions to explain your pain. 

What treatments are available for tennis elbow?

Dr. Perlman offers many treatment options for tennis elbow using traditional and complementary therapies. The specifics of your plan depend on the cause, severity of symptoms, and your goals. 

Treatments available for tennis elbow include:

• Activity modification
• Physical therapy
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• Shockwave therapy
• Radial pressure wave therapy 
• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection

Dr. Perlman works closely with you, adjusting your plan as needed so you heal as quickly and safely as possible.

Don’t ignore your tennis elbow, call Kai Sports Medicine or schedule an appointment online today.