If you’re experiencing pain on the outside of your elbow every time you lift, grip, type, or swing a racket, you may be suffering from tennis elbow. Despite its name, tennis elbow isn’t just a sports injury—it commonly affects anyone who performs repetitive arm and wrist movements.
At Springs Chiropractic, we use Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) to help relieve pain, stimulate tendon healing, and restore function without surgery or injections. Our goal is to help you recover faster so you can get back to work, sports, and everyday activities.
What Is Tennis Elbow?
Tennis elbow, also known as lateral epicondylitis, is an overuse injury that affects the tendons connecting the forearm muscles to the outside of the elbow.
Over time, repetitive movements create tiny tears within the tendon. As these injuries accumulate, they can lead to pain, inflammation, reduced grip strength, and difficulty performing everyday tasks.
What Causes Tennis Elbow?
Although it is commonly associated with racquet sports, tennis elbow can develop from almost any repetitive gripping or wrist motion.
Common causes include:
- Tennis, pickleball, and racquet sports
- Golf
- Weightlifting
- Typing and computer work
- Construction and manual labor
- Painting
- Plumbing and electrical work
- Gardening
- Repetitive lifting
Anyone who frequently uses their forearm muscles can develop tennis elbow.
What Are the Symptoms of Tennis Elbow?
The most common symptom is pain on the outside of the elbow that gradually worsens over time.
Other symptoms may include:
- Pain when gripping objects
- Weak grip strength
- Pain while lifting or carrying items
- Discomfort when turning a doorknob or opening a jar
- Pain that radiates into the forearm
- Tenderness over the outside of the elbow
Many people notice symptoms become worse with repetitive activities or after a long day of work.
How Does Shockwave Therapy Help Tennis Elbow?
Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy uses focused acoustic waves to stimulate the body’s natural healing process within damaged tendons.
Rather than simply masking pain, ESWT encourages the tendon to repair itself by:
- Increasing blood flow
- Stimulating collagen production
- Promoting healthy tissue regeneration
- Breaking down scar tissue
- Reducing chronic inflammation
- Decreasing pain sensitivity
Because tennis elbow is often a chronic tendon injury rather than just inflammation, ESWT helps address the underlying cause of pain.
What Are the Benefits of ESWT for Tennis Elbow?
Shockwave therapy has become a popular treatment because it offers an effective alternative to more invasive procedures.
Benefits include:
- Non-surgical treatment
- Drug-free pain relief
- No injections
- Minimal to no downtime
- Quick in-office treatments
- Improved tendon healing
- Faster return to work and recreational activities
Many patients begin noticing improvement after several treatments, with healing continuing over the weeks that follow.
What Happens During a Shockwave Therapy Treatment?
Treatment is performed right in our office and typically takes only 10–15 minutes.
During your appointment:
- We evaluate your elbow and identify the injured tendon.
- A handheld device delivers focused acoustic waves to the affected area.
- You may feel a mild to moderate tapping sensation during treatment.
- Most patients return to their normal daily activities immediately afterward.
Can Shockwave Therapy Be Combined With Other Treatments?
Absolutely. At Springs Chiropractic, ESWT is often combined with other therapies to improve healing and reduce the likelihood of the injury returning.
Depending on your condition, your treatment plan may include:
- Chiropractic adjustments
- EMTT (Extracorporeal Magnetotransduction Therapy)
- Soft tissue therapy
- Therapeutic exercises
- Stretching and strengthening programs
- Activity modification recommendations
Treating both the injured tendon and the underlying movement dysfunction helps produce better long-term results.
Is Shockwave Therapy Right for My Tennis Elbow?
If you’ve tried rest, braces, ice, or anti-inflammatory medications without lasting relief, ESWT may be an excellent next step.
Shockwave therapy is particularly effective for chronic tennis elbow that has persisted for several weeks or months and hasn’t responded to traditional conservative treatments.
Our team will evaluate your condition, discuss your goals, and determine whether ESWT is the right solution for helping you return to pain-free activity.
More information about the study of effectiveness in reducing pain and increase mobility of the elbow after shock wave therapy can be found here.