Tennis elbow (clinically known as lateral epicondylitis) is a painful condition that often occurs as a result of repetitive overuse of the muscles and tendons of the forearm and around the elbow joint.
As its name suggests, tennis elbow is oftne caused by playing tennis or other racket sports, but it can occur as a result of a number of other physical activities.
Many people with tennis elbow participate in work or recreational activities that require repetitive and vigourous use of the forearm muscles. Painters, plumbers, and carpenters optically prone to developing this kind of problem that is known as tennis elbow.
When you suffer from tennis elbow the major symptom is on the outside of the elbow. Symptoms may also occur on the inner side of the elbow often referred to as golfers elbow. Pain that is caused by tennis elbow can be persistent and can lead to weakness of the forearm and grip well shaking, not been able to hold relatively heavy items in your hand.
The tendon that joins the muscles of your forearm suffers with microtrauma and micro tears which eventually becomes inflamed, if not treated promptly this condition can turn into chronic tendon inflammation and can be notoriously difficult to treat.
Tendons and ligaments are known to have a poor blood supply. Combined with the stress of day-to-day activities, they do not easily heal from damage. As a result of slow healing tendons, the symptoms occurring at the tennis elbow injury can last for a number of weeks, months, or sometimes, they can persist for up to years becoming chronic and really affecting quality of life.
Common treatment for a tennis elbow:
– Activity restriction
– Rest
– Physical therapy and rehabilitation
– Platelet rich plasma (PRP) treatment
– Shockwave therapy
– Acupuncture
– Steroid injections
– Surgery
Platelet rich plasma (PRP) injection treatment for tennis elbow
Blood consists of red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma and blood platelets. Platelets on known to be responsible for accounting and releasing important growth factors that recruit stem cells. Growth factors, released from platelets upon activation, influence the biological processes necessary to repair soft tissues, such as tendons all ligaments, following acute traumaic or overuse injuries.
Platelet rich plasma (PRP) offers a promising natural healing technique to accelerate the healing of tendons. PRP prepared with us at Dynamic Regenerative Medicine uses a sophisticated technique, where blood plasma with concentrated platelets and white blood cells containing huge reservoirs of bioactive proteins, like the important growth factors.
PRP injection treatments offer a technique to excellorate healing of many conditions, specifically tennis elbow. The major advantage is that this treatment is completely natural and holds practically no side-effects.
Dynamic regenerative medicine offers a natural treatment for your tennis elbow
Dynamic regenerative medicine treatment
A 20ml sample of blood is withdrawn from your arm. The blood is then transferred in a unique tube that is placed in a centrifuge that spins the blood for 5 minutes. This removes all the unwonted components of blood that are not primarily responsible for healing.
After the centrifuge process is done the PRP is collected. The PRP (containing patents, growth factors and white blood cells) is ready to be injected for therapeutic measures back into the tendon at the sight of the chronic injury.
After your PRP treatment with Dynamic Regenerative Medicine
After your PRP injection the arm should be rested as directed by your physician. Anti-inflammatory drugs are not allowed. Icing may be a option if the area is sore. Some discomfort at the site of injection may result for a few days postinjection.
24 hours post-treatment you will have to start a standardised stretching protocol (level one) to follow for two weeks. After the two weeks stretching a formal strengthening program (level two) will be added. Over time, you are allowed to take part in sport or recreational activities, as tolerated.
Tennis elbow stretching exercises (level one)
You should start to perform the stretches in this section daily for two weeks. When the elbow pain becomes less painful, proceed to level two.
Wrist extensor stretch
Purpose: to stretch the forearm and wrist muscles.
Start position: hold your arm straight in front of you with your palm facing down. Keep your elbow perfectly straight.
Action: cross the hand to be stretched with the other hand and slowly bend it towards the floor until the stretches felt on the top of the forearm and elbow.
Parameters: hold this stretch for 20 seconds. Repeat 5 times.
Tips: keep your shoulder relaxed, pinch them together and do the stretch slowly as tolerated.
Tennis elbow stretching exercise (number 1)
Wrist flexor stretch
Purpose: to stretch the forearm and the wrist.
Start position: Put arm straight out in front of you with your palm facing down.
Action: grasp the fingers with your hand and slowly bend them towards the ceiling until stretches fell along the underside of the forearm and elbow.
Parameters: how to stretch for 20 seconds. Repeat 5 Times.
Tips: keep your shoulders relaxed, keep them back and do the switch slowly as tolerated.
Sometimes it is easier to stretch your fingers using objects and leaning into it.
Tennis elbow strengthening exercise (level two)
Exercise in the section should be done every day for 2 to 4 weeks after completion of level one stretching. The band (showing in the picture) can be obtained from many resources.
Wrist extensor strengthening exercise
Purpose: to strengthen the forearm muscles and wrist
Start position: in seated position, rest your forearm on your leg, let your wrist fal palm down towards the floor. Take the band around your foot.
Form: grasp the band and then slowly move your wrist and hand towards the ceiling will keeping your forearm on your leg. Hold for one seconds and then slowly move wrist and hand towards the floor again.
Parameters: three sets of 15 repetitions, every other day.
Tips. Squeeze your shoulder blades together as you do this exercise. Also, keep the movements slow and controlled.
Tennis elbow strengthening exercise (level two)
Wrist flexors strengthening exercises.
Purpose: to strengthen the muscle on the wrist.
Start position: in seated position, rest the forearm on top of the leg palm facing up.
Action: cross the band and then slowly move your wrist and hand towards the ceiling with your forearm on your leg. Hold for 1 second and then slowly move wrist and hand towards the floor again.
Parameters: three sets of 15 repetitions, every other day.
Tips: hold shoulder blades together as you do this exercise and move sure the movement is slow and controlled.
An optimal treatment for your tennis elbow
The combination of the Dynamic Regenerative Medicine PRP injection technique together with stretching and strengthening program afterwards may give you the optimal treatment aiming to restore your tennis elbow into healthy elbow without pain. When treatment is successful you may be able to return to all activities you were restrained from due to your tennis elbow.
This procedure is commonly performed with Dynamic Osteopaths and Regenerative Medicine
Find out more.
Schedule a free consultation on 01564 330773