Tennis Elbow Treatment in Oakland, CA

If the outside of your elbow aches when you grip, lift, type, or swing a racket, you may have tennis elbow. At Riverstone Chiropractic in Oakland’s Grand Lake neighborhood, we treat tennis elbow with hands-on soft tissue therapy and rehab designed to fix the cause, not just calm the pain for a few days.

Book a free consultation or call (510) 465-2342.

Tennis elbow treatment requires arriving at the proper diagnosis. Is elbow or forearm pain getting in the way of your tennis game?  Have you noticed that the same part of your swing or serve is painful time and time again, and that your pain tends to creep back even after resting for a week or two?  Most likely, you are suffering from elbow pain that is known as lateral epicondylosis (commonly known as tennis elbow.)  To better understand this pathology, let’s breakdown the terminology:

“Lateral” = outer or away from the centerline of the body.  In this case, it refers to the area of your arm that is your outer elbow.

“Epicondyle” = the bony parts of the humerus (upper arm bone), from which the wrist flexor muscles (medial epicondyle) and wrist extensor muscles (lateral epicondyle) originate.

And the finishing touch…

“-osis” = degeneration of (the tendons of the involved muscles).

It is important to note that “–osis” is different from “–itis”.  How many times have you heard a friend or family member say they have been diagnosed with tendinitis?  Rotator cuff tendinitis, elbow tendinitis, and tendinitis of the knee are some of the common diagnoses tossed around.  Technically, it’s not an “-itis” in the absense of inflammation.  So if your elbow hurts a lot, but isn’t swollen per se, what exactly is happening?

Causes of Tennis Elbow:

Any time a muscle is overworked (repetitive motions, repeated contractions) or acutely injured (fall or collision causing a tear or crush), it receives a decreased amount of bloodflow (read: oxygen flow).  If this condition continues, the hypoxia (lack or oxygen flow) causes adhesions to form in the muscles.  These are sticky areas, almost as if someone poured glue into the muscle, which limit range of motion and cause pain.  Adhesions remain until they are treated.  Rest, ice, stretching, and ibuprofen will not make them go away!  You may get some temporary relief, but once you resume your activities, the issue will make itself known once again.

Symptoms of Tennis Elbow?

Tennis elbow pain usually builds gradually, though it can also start after a single overload. Common signs include:

• Pain or tenderness on the outside of the elbow, sometimes spreading down the forearm
• Pain when gripping, lifting a coffee cup, turning a doorknob, or shaking hands
• A weak grip or the feeling that you might drop things
• Pain when you extend your wrist or straighten your fingers against resistance
• Stiffness or aching in the elbow in the morning
• Pain that eases with rest but returns when you go back to the activity

Who Gets Tennis Elbow?

Despite the name, most people with tennis elbow don’t play tennis. Any repetitive gripping or wrist-extension work can overload the forearm tendons. We commonly see it in:

• Racket sport players, including tennis and pickleball
• Desk workers, especially with heavy mouse and keyboard use
• Climbers, lifters, and gym-goers doing lots of pulling and gripping
• Painters, carpenters, plumbers, and gardeners
• Musicians and anyone using hand tools for long stretches

It’s most common between ages 30 and 50, but can happen at any age.

Other Things That Contribute:

Adhesions in the forearm are often only part of the picture. We also look at:

• Neck and shoulder mechanics. Stiffness or weakness higher up the chain can make the forearm work harder than it should.
• Grip and technique. Racket grip size, string tension, a tight grip on a mouse, or the way you lift tools can all overload the tendon.
• Sudden jumps in activity. More matches, longer shifts, or a new workout program with no build-up.
• Nerve irritation. Pain on the outside of the elbow can also come from the neck or from a nerve in the forearm, which is why a proper exam matters.

How We Diagnose Tennis Elbow:

Your first visit starts with a full history and a hands-on exam. We check where it hurts, test your grip and wrist strength, and use provocative tests that reproduce tennis elbow pain (such as resisted wrist extension, Cozen’s test, and Mill’s test). We also screen your neck, shoulder, and wrist, because several other problems can mimic tennis elbow, including golfer’s elbow (on the inside of the elbow), a pinched nerve in the neck, and radial tunnel syndrome. Imaging is only recommended when it would change the plan, and if your findings point to something we shouldn’t treat, we’ll refer you out.

Tennis Elbow Treatment:

A highly effective way to treat the muscle adhesions that cause tennis elbow is to receive Active Release Techniques (ART) treatments.  Active Release Techniques is a hands-on soft tissue treatment system, which involves shortening a muscle, the practitioner taking a thumb or hand contact on the adhesion, and then lengthening the muscle to break down the adhesion.  This is a drug-free and non-surgical treatment approach, which allows you to spare the stress and cost associated with drugs and surgery.

Your Oakland Active Release Techniques practitioner will address adhesions in the muscles of your arm and forearm, and will evaluate your spine and shoulders to check for biomechanical issues or further soft tissue adhesions that were likely causing the problem to begin with.  Typical treatment plans for tennis elbow generally span about twelve visits, with many people enjoying significant relief after the first several treatments.  Your ART practitioner can also prescribe specific rehabilitation exercises to strengthen and stretch the muscles typically overused in tennis, so that there will be a lower probability of this injury returning.

What Else May be Part of the Plan:

ART is the foundation, but we often combine it with other tools depending on what your exam shows:

• Graston Technique, an instrument-assisted method for breaking up scar tissue and restrictions in the forearm
• Rehab exercises, including gradual wrist and forearm strengthening, which is one of the best-supported parts of tennis elbow care
• Manual therapy and joint work for the elbow, wrist, shoulder, and neck as needed
• Kinesio taping to support the area during activity
• Myofascial decompression cupping for stubborn tight areas in the forearm
• Activity changes and ergonomic tips, such as grip size, mouse and keyboard setup, and lifting technique

When to Get Medical Care First:

See a medical provider promptly if you have sudden severe pain after an injury or a “pop,” a visibly deformed elbow, significant swelling, redness, warmth, or fever, numbness or tingling that keeps spreading, or constant pain at rest or at night that doesn’t relate to movement. These aren’t typical of tennis elbow and may need other care first.

Why Oakland Patients Choose Riverstone:

• Local and easy to reach. We’re at 3409 Grand Ave #5 in the Grand Lake neighborhood. Patients also come from Lake Merritt, Adams Point, Rockridge, Temescal, Piedmont, and Montclair. 
• Hands-on, specific care. Dr. Sandy Baird, DC, with over 15 years experience, treats the tissue that’s actually causing the problem and builds a plan around your exam.
• Experience with active people. We regularly work with runners, racket sport players, climbers, and desk workers. 
• Free consultation so you can ask questions before you commit.

Tennis Elbow FAQs:

What is the fastest way to get rid of tennis elbow?

There’s no instant fix, but starting treatment early and changing the activities that are overloading the tendon speed up recovery. Most people do best with a combination of hands-on soft tissue work, progressive strengthening, and temporary activity changes.

Do I have to stop playing tennis (or pickleball) while I’m treated?

Not always. We’ll tell you what you can keep doing, what to modify, and what to pause, based on how irritated the tendon is.

Is tennis elbow tendinitis?

Usually not in the technical sense. Long-standing tennis elbow is typically a degenerative tendon problem (tendinosis) rather than an inflammatory one, which is why anti-inflammatory approaches alone often don’t solve it.

How is tennis elbow different from golfer’s elbow?

Tennis elbow causes pain on the outside of the elbow, while golfer’s elbow causes pain on the inside. They involve different forearm muscle groups, so the treatment focus differs.

How many visits will I need?

Many plans run about six to twelve visits, with improvement often noticeable within the first several. We’ll give you a realistic estimate after your exam.

Will insurance cover treatment?

Coverage depends on your plan. We can provide detailed receipts for reimbursement. 

Do I need a referral or an X-ray?

No referral is needed, and imaging is only recommended if your exam shows it would change the plan.

If you are tired of suffering with tennis elbow pain and would like to schedule a free consultation with an Oakland chiropractor, please call (510) 465-2342 or click the button below.