A FIX FOR TENNIS ELBOW

NYT: A Fix for Tennis Elbow

Tennis elbow can be a debilitating problem for the player and one that is even harder to treat by the sports medicine specialist.  New research is showing the benefits of eccentric exercises for chronic tendonopathies such as tennis elbow, runner's/jumper's knee, and achilles tendonitis.  These exercises are thought to facilitate tendon healing instead of just treating the symptoms with anti-inflammatory medication.  Other treatments such as dynamic myofascial release, augmented soft tissue mobilization, and platelet rich plasma injections (PRP) are showing some promising results as well.  What the New York Times article failed to mention is the relationship between kinetic chain dysfunctions and tennis elbow. Often times, tennis elbow is the result of problems somewhere else such as the shoulder or hips.  Decreased shoulder flexibility and/or lack of core strength can be cause of elbow pain.  It's like driving a car that is out of alignment, the tires wear unevenly until the alignment is corrected.  So besides starting the above mentioned eccentric exercise program, make sure to see a sports medicine specialist to assess for any kinetic chain dysfunctions that may be the underlying cause of tennis elbow.