Tennis Elbow - Why resting sometimes isn't enough.

Tennis Elbow Shockwave Bishops Waltham | First Choice Therapy Solutions

A few years ago, I developed tennis elbow from playing badminton.

At first, I assumed it would settle down on its own. I reduced my playing, rested it when it was sore and tried to work around it.

Unfortunately, the pain kept returning.

Simple things became uncomfortable:

>Overhead shots

> Lifting weights

> Carrying shopping bags

What many people don't realise is that despite the name, tennis elbow isn't just a problem for tennis players. It's a tendon condition that can affect anyone who repeatedly loads the forearm muscles, whether through sport, gym training, DIY, gardening or work.

Research now suggests that long-standing tennis elbow is often associated with degenerative changes within the tendon rather than ongoing inflammation. This may explain why simply resting it isn't always enough to resolve the problem completely.

The approach that helped me recover wasn't complete rest. It was understanding the condition properly, managing load appropriately and gradually rebuilding the tendon's capacity.

This is exactly why, when patients come into the clinic with persistent elbow pain, we look beyond simply "resting it" and focus on addressing the underlying tendon problem.

For stubborn cases, evidence-based treatment options such as progressive rehabilitation and Shockwave Therapy may also be considered as part of a comprehensive treatment plan.

📍 First Choice Therapy – Bishop's Waltham, Hampshire - 07597703213

👉 If you've been struggling with tennis elbow for weeks or months, book an assessment and let's work out the best route back to pain-free activity.

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