How to Prevent and Address Tennis Elbow Naturally

Whether you’re a passionate tennis player, occasional golfer, die-hard CrossFitter, or daily swimmer, you may experience tennis elbow. This type of tendinitis is mostly linked to overtraining, high-volume training, or following repeated training protocols for extended durations. Add to this the poor recovery regimes of aggressive trainers and you have a recipe for disaster.

Alongside these, postural imbalances, joint restrictions, and movement limitations in the neck can significantly contribute to the risk of developing tennis elbow. The lack of a gliding nerve due to various restrictions can also trigger elbow pain and injuries.

Symptoms and Diagnostic Approaches

Key symptoms of tennis elbow are pain on the elbow’s outer side, resulting in difficulty in picking up objects or excruciating pain from elbow bumps. Clinical diagnosis, and sometimes an MRI scan, can help rule out other issues like elbow joint pain, neck and nerve referral patterns, and more.

Tennis elbow is often a broad term used for outer elbow pain and could indicate various problems, from inflammation to more complex issues like tears within the common extensor origin or ‘hot spots’ on tendon-bone connections. For an accurate diagnosis, an MRI is the preferred method.

Providing a Holistic Approach

Addressing tennis elbow starts with stopping all activities causing harm. Emphasising health, healing, and recovery is crucial, which may mean reducing stress levels, ensuring adequate sleep, and adopting a clean, anti-inflammatory diet.

Other therapies include:

• Acupuncture
• Dry needling
• Hands-on therapy
• Active Release Techniques (ART)
• Fascial releasing
• Mobilisation With Movement (MWM)
• Manual Release With Movement (MRWM)

Helpful Exercises and Stretches for Prevention and Recovery

While the recommended exercises and stretches can vary from person to person, efforts should generally focus on restoring function in the hips, lower back, thoracic spine, and cervical spine and improving the shoulder complex’s range of motion. This approach reduces pressure on the elbow joint, further aided by neural gliding techniques and exercises.

However, it’s critical not to rush into tendon reloading protocols before ensuring optimal spinal control and shoulder stabilisation. Prioritising these principles can lead to successful recovery and prevention of re-injury.

Remember, addressing tennis elbow requires a thorough understanding of its roots, accurate diagnosis, a holistic care approach, and targeted exercises. Your body is a complex system, and addressing issues in isolation might not provide lasting relief.