EXTRACORPOREAL SHOCKWAVE THERAPY (ESWT) FOR TENNIS ELBOW
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No more pain of tennis elbow – ESWT
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Use your arm with power again – ESWT
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No drugs or surgery – just sound waves
SYMPTOMS OF TENNIS ELBOW
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Pain at the outside of the elbow that can be felt above or below the elbow
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Forearm weakness
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Pain on lifting, gripping, raising hand, opening a door, etc.
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Waking up with pain.
Tennis elbow isn’t just for those with poor backhand mechanics, though. Tennis elbow can affect chefs, computer programmers, carpenters, painters, plumbers, gardeners, mechanics, gamers and anyone who has repetitive motions that put stress on the tendons of the forearm. Wrist extensor muscles and their tendons suffer micro-tears and inflammation. Inflammation heals by creating calcific fibroblasts or scar tissue. Scar tissue decreases blood to the area and alters mechanics, thus, increasing inflammation. This chronic cycle is interrupted by the Piezowave shockwave (ESWT) therapy.
HOW DO YOU GET TENNIS ELBOW?
THE TREATMENT FOR TENNIS ELBOW?
With the Piezowave 2 (the brand for the extracorporeal shockwave therapy or ESWT that we use) high energy sound waves are introduced into your elbow’s surrounding tissue. Here normal tissue moves with the sound waves like water that has been displaced by a stone. Scar tissue within the soft tissue is brittle and does not bend like healthy tissue and it breaks on a microscopic level. Blood that was blocked from flowing can then re-enter damaged tissue (re-vascularization) and lead to tissue regeneration [2]. With visits at 1 to 2 times per week, your tennis elbow will be in a healing process that may take 6 to 8 weeks. Some symptoms will be gone sooner and some may take longer. This is a conservative estimate.
COMPLEMENTARY CARE FOR TENNIS ELBOW
Your shockwave therapy is backed with chiropractic care which has been shown effective for tennis elbow [1]. This includes, but is not limited to, joint mechanics evaluation of your elbow, spinal nerve assessment, specific adjusting, trigger point evaluation and rehab exercise recommendations. Most people who come to us have already been given good physical therapy in the Newtown area. It just wasn’t enough to do the job. The Piezowave is a key ingredient that they were missing.
Home muscle work for the extensor carpi radialis longus muscle.
Trigger points are small muscle spasms within the muscle belly that, when pushed, radiate to another part of the body. In the case of tennis elbow, for instance, the extensor carpi radialis longus muscle is a primary trigger point for tennis elbow. (see left image)
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Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT), and more spedifically, the Piezowave 2 because it obtains the acustic waves piezoelectrically, is excellent for trigger point therapy. Backing that up with your own home trigger point work will help ensure a better outcome and prevent further injury. Get a lacrosse ball and do some pressure point work on yourself. If you feel the spot radiate (the pain travels), hold the spot until it dissipates. This should take approximately 60 seconds per tender point. Do this daily while under care. Here are some more ways you can help
WHAT ROLE DO TRIGGER POINTS PLAY?
SELF CARE FOR TENNIS ELBOW
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Don’t “burn your arm out”. Take breaks when doing long duration activity.
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Avoid activities, like lifting, that might flare up your symptoms.
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Use tools rather than your hands when possible.
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You may find benefit from a brace but most of our patients go without.
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Get that arm strong! Here are some exercises we have given to our patients who have been evaluated:
Hold for 30 seconds and repeat 3x.
Hold for 30 seconds and repeat 3x.
Forearm extensions
Start with 1lb weights
