Lateral epicondylitis is described as a painful condition that affects the outside of the elbow and is usually caused by repetitive use of the soft tissues. More commonly known as “tennis elbow”, lateral epicondylitis has a notable relationship with athletes who participate in racquet sports. However, anyone who repetitively rotates, flexes, or extends their wrist and elbow can experience this type of condition.
Upon repetitive contraction or overuse of the muscles that attach to the outside of the elbow, micro-traumatic injuries can accumulate. Micro-traumatic injuries have been shown to cause angioblastic degeneration and collagen disarray, and that can lead to dense fibrous scar tissue and adhesions among the tissues. This type of response to repetitive overuse causes muscles to become restricted and contracted, nerves can become trapped, and the increased tension placed on the tendons can cause inflammation or tendonitis.
Typical signs and symptoms of tennis elbow:
pain, burning, or aching along the outside of the elbow
pain while lifting on the the outside of the elbow
decreased grip strength due to pain
pain while shaking hands
pain while picking up a coffee mug or jug of milk
Active Release Techniques™ (ART™) works to directly target the problem areas within and between the soft tissues. The practitioner uses a specific manual contact while actively moving the tissue to normalize its range of motion. Specific to this case, ART™ intervention is further based on the observation that the anatomy of the forearm has lots of traversing tissues situated at oblique angles to one another. Not only does ART work to restore the functionality and range of motion within the affected tissue, it also works to restore relative movement between structures as well. This type of soft tissue approach can effectively break the cumulative injury cycle and allow for functional restoration for those dealing with lateral epicondylitis.
Using Active Release Technique or ART in our Boulder office, we can help to decrease pain and improve the function of your elbow. By using this precise and effective technique, we can typically see improvements in your elbow pain, range of motion, and strength in 6-10 visits. This timeline can often be accelerated with the use of class 4 laser therapy or dry needling during your session in addition to the Active Release Technique.
If you are experiencing the signs or symptoms of tennis elbow, contact our specialists in our Boulder office today to start feeling better ASAP.
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