Tennis Elbow Treatment: What Works When Rest and Ice Don't
Despite the name, most people with tennis elbow have never picked up a racket. Tennis elbow — lateral epicondylitis — affects anyone who performs repetitive gripping, lifting, or wrist extension movements. That includes tennis players, golfers, painters, plumbers, desk workers, and pickleball enthusiasts.
If you've been dealing with pain on the outside of your elbow that doesn't seem to get better no matter what you try, this article is for you.
What Is Tennis Elbow?
Tennis elbow is a tendinopathy — a degeneration or micro-tearing of the tendons that attach the forearm muscles to the bony bump on the outside of the elbow (the lateral epicondyle). It's not primarily an inflammatory condition (despite often being called "epicondylitis"), which is why anti-inflammatory medications and ice are only marginally helpful for most people.
The pain is typically:
- On the outside of the elbow
- Worsened by gripping, lifting, or extending the wrist
- Tender to the touch over the bony prominence
- Sometimes radiating down the forearm
Why Standard Treatments Often Fail
Rest helps in the short term but doesn't fix the underlying tendon degeneration. Return to activity often brings the pain right back.
Ice and NSAIDs reduce inflammation but don't stimulate the actual tissue repair the tendon needs.
Tennis elbow straps/braces reduce load on the tendon during activity, which helps manage symptoms, but again — they don't fix the underlying problem.
Cortisone injections may provide short-term relief but often cause further tendon weakening with repeated use and are associated with higher recurrence rates.
What Actually Works
Shockwave Therapy Shockwave Therapy is one of the most evidence-backed treatments for tennis elbow. It delivers acoustic energy to the tendon, breaking up degenerated tissue and stimulating the body's natural healing response — essentially telling the tendon to regenerate. Multiple studies show 70–80% success rates. It's our first-line recommendation for chronic tennis elbow.
Eccentric Loading Exercises Specific exercises that load the tendon in a controlled way — particularly wrist extension under resistance — are extremely effective for tendinopathy. This approach works best when guided by a provider who can ensure proper form and progressions.
Chiropractic and Soft Tissue Therapy Often overlooked: the muscles of the forearm become tight and guarded around a painful tendon, and the cervical spine can contribute to arm pain through nerve referral. Soft tissue work to the forearm extensors, combined with cervical evaluation, often dramatically reduces pain alongside tendon-specific treatment.
Class 4 Laser Class 4 Laser Therapy penetrates deeply into the elbow tissue, reducing inflammation and promoting cellular repair. It works particularly well in combination with shockwave.
At McNamara Chiropractic Center, we see a lot of sports injuries like tennis elbow among South Florida's active population. Our approach combines the therapies above into a structured plan.
Our guide to chiropractic care in South Florida has more on how we treat active lifestyle injuries.
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Call (954) 943-1100 or visit us at 3320 N. Federal Highway, Suite 101, Lighthouse Point. Most tennis elbow patients see meaningful improvement within 3–6 weeks of starting our protocol.
Ready to Feel Better?
Call us today to schedule your consultation with Dr. Carol McNamara.