What is Tennis Elbow? Is it inflammation? Is it a torn tendon? Should you treat it the way most other injuries are treated?
Tennis Elbow is definitely an injury – A tendon injury to be precise – But the short answer is:
- No, it’s probably not inflamed. It’s probably not a big tear in your tendon,
- And you should definitely NOT treat it like most other injuries,
- Don’t use the R.I.C.E. protocol, for example …
VIDEO link: What Is Tennis Elbow?
Forget The RICE – It’s Not That Kind Of Injury
R – I – C – E stands for Rest, Ice, Compression (often Braces/supports in this case) and Elevation.
The RICE ‘protocol’ is usually recommended for treating sudden, traumatic injuries (for the first few days after the injury, anyway.)
But you can forget about RICE – even if you’ve been told to apply it to your elbow, because Tennis Elbow is usually not that kind of injury.
Chances are there’s no big tear in your tendon, and despite all the talk about inflammation – your tendon probably isn’t inflamed either!
The point is that Tennis Elbow is usually not a sudden, ‘Acute Injury’ – like a cut, tear, sprain, strain or fracture, which you would use the RICE protocol for.
Rather, it’s a slow, gradual, chronic kind of injury.
Why is this such an important distinction? Because the difference between an acute injury and a chronic injury is night and day.
It’s More Like Arteriosclerosis (Chronic Problem) Than A Heart Attack (Acute Crisis!)
So, to try and make it clear and simple, an acute injury is like a heart attack – and a chronic, degenerative injury is more like hardening of the arteries.
The first, (a heart attack) is obviously a sudden, acute crisis… The second, (hardening of the arteries) is a slow, gradual degenerative condition.
So, the point is that Tennis Elbow is rarely an acute injury crisis, like a heart attack.
Tennis Elbow is usually more like “hardening of the arteries” a chronic, degenerative condition that creeps up on you gradually.
Technically, Tennis Elbow is usually TendinOSIS – NOT TendonITIS (Which I cover in the next video.)
How Big Pain Flare-Ups Can Fool You
Now, I understand, you may have had a big flare-up at some point! When your pain either appeared suddenly – Or it suddenly got a lot worse
Perhaps after a late backhand, a low drive, throwing the ball to your dog with that “chuck it” thing, or maybe spending too many hours gripping a power tool or even a mouse…
But don’t assume, just because your pain appeared suddenly – or it suddenly got a lot worse – that it means you have an acute injury, like a big tear in your tendon.
Yes, it’s possible, and the more violent the motion or activity – the more this increases the possibility of a tear, (especially if you can SEE a significant amount of swelling around the area.)
Otherwise, there’s no reason to assume it’s an acute injury.
Tennis Elbow Almost Always Starts Out Gradually, Quietly And Sneaks Up On You
The thing to keep in mind is that the root of your injury was probably a gradual build-up of muscle tension and a gradual breakdown of your tendon that started long before you noticed any significant pain.
And at some point it suddenly started hurting like hell – Perhaps when your dog jerked the leash too hard, you hit a late backhand or you spent all day digging in the garden – or all weekend typing a paper.
And it would be a mistake to assume it’s a big tear – And that it’s all inflamed.
If you really think you’ve just suffered an acute injury (you’ll know because it will likely swell up) then go ahead and RICE it for a day or two… Better yet, skip the ‘Compression’ and ‘Elevation’ and just Rest and Ice it.
The ‘Compression’ and ‘Elevation’ parts are really for something like a sprained ankle; a classic Acute Injury, which usually has a lot of swelling.
But even then, you would only RICE it for the first three days or so. RICE is never how you want to treat a chronic tendon injury.
In fact, if you treat a chronic injury, like most cases of Tennis Elbow, by resting it, icing it and wearing a brace, (not to mention taking anti-inflammatories and getting cortisone shots) it’s more likely to make your injury worse – than to help it heal.
Want to learn more about how to treat it the right way and actually help it heal?…
Learn To Treat And Heal Your Own Golfer’s And Tennis Elbow Right Here:
You’ll get instant access to a complete VIDEO program designed by a professional therapist to help you take charge and break your vicious cycle of elbow injury, pain and frustration!…
I’ll be your personal tutor guiding you through easy-to-follow lessons, where you’ll get the therapy techniques, key stretches and essential exercises you need to treat and recover from your injury at home.
Just watch the videos, follow along and start putting an end to your elbow pain today.
Learn more, and get started here: Tennis Elbow Self-Help Program
I was out walking my dog about two weeks ago when she made a sudden jerk which popped my elbow out but it went back. I treated with ice and ibuprofen but can’t seem to find relief. Could this have damaged a tendon or ligament?
Yes. By the sound of it, you may have sustained an acute injury of some kind. That much force could have damaged muscles, tendons or ligaments (including your elbow joint capsule.) I would get that checked out by a medical professional if I were you. All the best to you!
Thanks!!! I went yesterday. Just waiting for X-ray results. I’m doubting any kind of break because it’s sore and like a deep seeded achiness. Not excruciating
I have had this pain for 6 months. Two injections that helped for a little bit but now it’s back worse than ever. Tennis elbow is now going down my arm into my hand and up my arm around my shoulder blade. Doctor keeps telling me it will go away on its own.
I use a Tens machine, ice, heat and Motrin 800 2-3 times a day. I am hurting and need help. I have no strength in the arm now.
Hi Debra, I really hate to have to say this, but you may be in for a much more difficult recovery now that you’ve had those injections (assuming that they were Cortisone shots and not PRP) And if you have symptoms around your shoulder blade you have more than just Tennis Elbow. (A lot of people with Tennis and Golfer’s Elbow have a Rotator Cuff problem that is part of the problem.)
If I were you I would stop chasing inflammation with the pills and ice. Inflammation is not the problem and is part of your body’s natural healing mechanism, as I mention in this article and elsewhere on this site. I don’t know whether my self-help program is right for you or not (I don’t have anything in the program for your shoulder – just your Tennis Elbow) but it’s available to you if you want to try and treat your Tennis Elbow muscles and tendons yourself: https://tenniselbowclassroom.com
Try to make long story short. This all started end of may. Running an air nailer for 2 days (20 hrs) pain started in my elbow. Diagnosed as tennis elbow. Got the brace for forearm and helped. Few weeks later pain is still there. Went to swing a hammer at something and missed! Was in extrusiating in forearm, elbow area instantly.
Now we’re in Aug. Still very bad pain and getting worse. Go to see orthopedic and diagnosed as tennis elbow. Take a week off of work with pain med and no better. Orthopedic suggested an ultrasound. Finally get results 2 weeks later and they think that there’s a tear in ligament. Go for an mri. 2 weeks go by and get results. Ligament is tore lengthwise down a tendon. A tear this orthopedic says is rare and he’s never seen before. So he recommended a specialist.
Now into the end of Sept and haven’t work for a couple weeks cuz pain is too bad and living off of pain pills. Finally got an appointment with specialist and he’s saying it’s tennis elbow. Could take 12-18 months to heal.
My question is this actually tennis elbow or should I get another opinion? Very frustrated.
Thank you
Greg, It sounds like they might not have explained it very well, because a ligament and a tendon are two different things. Yes, you could have both a tendon tear and a ligament tear at the same time, though.
That’s more likely to happen when there is a forceful, traumatic injury like what your hammer injury sounds like – rather than a gradual, chronic injury.
Perhaps your tendon is torn lengthwise, which does sound uncommon. Most cases of Tennis Elbow do not involve significant tendon tears.
And a torn ligament in the elbow area – (there are quite a few ligaments in the area) – is not technically Tennis Elbow, although, as I said, you can have Tennis Elbow AND a torn ligament.
If you have a tear in the tendons that are involved in Tennis Elbow, that would mean you have a severe form of Tennis Elbow. Hope that helps!
Have a dull pain in my elbow that gets a little sharp when I stretch it out. After having it for a few days I tried to press on different points in the elbow to see exactly where pain is coming from. A day or so after this the pain and discomfort started to radiate down to.my hand and almost numbing the pinky and the finger next to it. Is this tennis elbow? How long will it take to heal? Thanks.
It’s hard to say what you have based on that description alone, and it’s also not my place to diagnose people. Sorry about that. It might be helpful to know that the Ulnar nerve enervates the 5th (pinky) finger and that side, and half, of the ring finger on the palm side of the hand – and the Radial Nerve enervates the entire back side of the hand and fingers.(Not that your pain is necessarily nerve-related. I don’t know, but I hope that’s helpful.)
Hi I have had tennis elbow for a few years I get cortisone shots but it comes back. Yesterday I was trying to pull out a pillow from its pillowcase which was very tight. I pulled hard and something ‘went’ in my elbow and I had excruciating pain, my arm is now weak and I have lost range of movement, is it a sprain or a damaged tendon?thank you