Are You Suffering From Tennis Elbow?
Watch this video to learn how it forms.
Are You Tired Of Struggling With Elbow Pain?
If gripping your coffee cup, shaking a hand, or turning a doorknob has started to hurt, you might have tennis elbow, even if you've never picked up a racket. It's one of the most common overuse injuries we see at Bristol Chiropractic, and the good news is it responds well to the right treatment. Left alone, it often doesn't: studies show most people are still in pain a full year later without treatment. Dr. Edwards and Dr. Moore build a specific plan for each patient, combining hands-on care with our in-house laser and shockwave therapy to get you back to full use of your arm.
What Is Tennis Elbow?
Tennis elbow, medically known as lateral epicondylitis, happens at the lateral epicondyle, the bony bump on the outside of your elbow where your wrist-extensor muscles attach.
Overuse or injury irritates that attachment point, causing pain that can radiate down into the forearm and sometimes the wrist.
Despite the name, most people who develop it have never played tennis. We see it just as often from:
- Carpentry and bricklaying
- Typing and mousing all day
- Knitting or playing piano
- Lifting objects palm-down
- Racket sports (tennis, racquetball, pickleball)
It tends to hit your dominant arm hardest, and it usually starts small, a twinge during activity, before progressing to pain during ordinary tasks like holding a mug, gripping a doorknob, or shaking someone's hand.
Why It's Worth Treating Early
Tennis elbow rarely disappears on its own. Left untreated, roughly 80% of patients report ongoing pain a year later. The earlier you start treatment, the less time you spend modifying how you work, play, and move through your day.
How We Treat Tennis Elbow at Bristol Chiropractic
Dr. Robert Edwards, DC, and Dr. Moore, DC, start with a hands-on exam to confirm the diagnosis and rule out other causes of elbow and wrist pain.
From there, treatment is built around what's actually driving your symptoms, not a one-size-fits-all protocol:
- Chiropractic adjustments: including extremity adjustments to the elbow, wrist, and cervical spine when they're contributing to the strain
- Deep tissue laser therapy: reduces inflammation and speeds healing at the tendon attachment site
- Shockwave therapy: for tendon irritation that hasn't responded to more conservative care
- Active Release Technique: releases the soft-tissue adhesions that build up around an overused tendon
- Counterforce bracing: a temporary new attachment point that takes stress off the irritated tendon during daily activities
- A home exercise program: because every treatment plan includes the movement work that keeps the problem from coming back
We'll also walk through simple changes that make a real difference: avoiding sleeping with your elbow tucked under your pillow, switching how you lift with your palm facing down, and, if you play tennis or racquetball, considering a lighter racket or smaller handle.
Serving Bristol and the East Bay
Bristol Chiropractic is located at 685 Metacom Avenue in Bristol, RI, and we treat patients from Warren, Barrington, East Providence, and Warwick as well. Book your visit online or call us at (401) 396-9892.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) comes from repetitive wrist extension, and it's just as common in carpenters, typists, and knitters as it is in tennis players.
It varies by severity and how early you start treatment, but most patients notice meaningful improvement within a few weeks of starting a structured care plan. Left untreated, pain commonly persists for a year or more.
Yes. Chiropractic adjustments, combined with soft-tissue work and modalities like laser or shockwave therapy, address both the joint mechanics and the tendon irritation driving tennis elbow, rather than just masking the pain.
Laser therapy uses light energy to reduce inflammation and support tissue repair, and works well for most active cases. Shockwave therapy uses acoustic waves and is typically reserved for tendon irritation that's become chronic or hasn't responded to more conservative treatment.
