Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis): physio tips for Adelaide locals
Have you ever felt nagging pain on the outside of your elbow when you grip a cup or turn a doorknob?
That, my friend, could be “tennis elbow” which is known medically as lateral epicondylitis or lateral elbow tendinopathy.
Despite the name, you don’t have to play tennis to develop this painful condition. Repetitive activities, using tools, hobbies and every day tasks can all lead to tennis elbow pain.
This blog covers:
✅ What is tennis elbow?
✅ Common symptoms
✅ Common causes and risk factors
✅ How to diagnose tennis elbow?
✅ Treatment & rehab
✅ How long does tennis elbow take to recover?
✅ Prevention tips
✅ Frequently asked questions
What is tennis elbow?
Tennis elbow is a condition where your tendons on the outer (lateral) side of your elbow become overloaded. These tendons attach forearm muscles to the lateral epicondyle (bony bump on the outside of your elbow).
Over time with overuse, small micro-tears and degeneration can occur.
Although “itis” tends to indicate inflammation (tendinitis), often tennis elbow is more degenerative (tendinopathy), meaning that the healing can be rather slow.
Common Symptoms of tennis elbow
Pain and tenderness
Mainly localised to the outer elbow however pain may radiate down the forearm
Weak grip strength
Reduced grip strength usually as a result of pain or weakness
Pain with movement
Movements like lifting, bending wrist backward, turning a doorknob, opening jars or shaking hands can make the pain worse
Swelling or stiffness
Most likely in the morning or after a period of rest
Common causes & risk factors
Many factors can lead to tennis elbow and are usually linked to repetitive stress injuries:
- Repetitive use of forearm/wrist: typing, painting, carpentry, using tools, gardening, cleaning and racquet sports
- Poor technique or biomechanics: using tools without ergonomic grips, sports with inefficient technique, bad lifting form
- Sudden overuse: lifting something heavy that you are not used to, sudden increase in activity
- Age: more common in people aged 30-60 as tendons lose their strength and resilience
- Other risk factors: smoking, medications or underlying health conditions
Diagnosis: how to know if it's tennis elbow?
Your physiotherapist will typically:
- Take a detailed history (i.e. how the pain started, when it hurts, what makes it better or worse, any changes to your lifestyle etc)
- Undertake a physical examination: test grip strength, check for tenderness over the laterl epicondyle, reproduce pain with certain movements
- Refer for imaging (if warranted): ultrasound or MRI to rule out other conditions (e.g. joint pathology, nerve issues)
Treatment & Rehabilitation options
A variety of treatment options have been recommended for tennis elbow however no universal consensus has been accepted currently.
Conservative management such as physiotherapy remains as the priority for most patients.
Self care
Rest or modify aggravating activities, over-the-counter pain relief (where appropriate)
how long does tennis elbow take to recover?
Recovery can vary from person to person and depends on several factors (mentioned above).
Some people can recover in a few weeks, while it may take others 6-12 months.
Typically, the mild to moderate cases can recover in 6-12 weeks with consistent conservative treatment.
The more persistent and severe cases may require 3-6 months especially if aggravating activities aren’t modified.
Essentially, the key to a faster recovery is consistent rehab and avoiding flare ups.
Tennis elbow Prevention tips
Because prevention is always better than a cure. Here’s what helps tennis elbow:
Ergonomics & technique
If you use tools (hand tools, gardening tools, paint rollers etc), get ones with good grips, use two hands where possible and avoid over twisting
Gradual load increase
Don’t suddenly ramp up any activity, allow tendons to adapt and don’t rush
Strength & flexibility
Perform regular forearm and wrist strengthening and stretching exercises to build strong and resilient muscles / tendons
Rest breaks
Frequent rest breaks during repetitive tasks, alternate between hands (where possible) and alternate the activity regularly
Lifestyle factors
Avoid smoking, ensure good overall health and fitness and prioritise quality sleep
Maintenance
Like all things, your body needs “maintenance”. Don’t wait for pain and symptoms to affect your function, seek regular remedial massage therapy and / or physiotherapy
Frequently Asked Questions about lateral epicondylitis
Do I need to stop playing tennis or using tools?
Not completely, but you may need to modify how you do it and reduce the load / volume until pain improves.
Will physio help or do I need surgery?
Most people respond well to physiotherapy and rehab. Surgery is rare and may only be viable after many months of failed conservative treatment.
Are injections safe and effective?
They can help reduce pain in the short term, but they do not usually help in the long term and may also cause side effects. Your physio or doctor will weigh up the benefits vs risks.
How can I do exercise rehab on my own?
Our physiotherapists can show you appropriate exercises suitable for your current stage and tolerance. The key is to start light and gradually adding additional load as your symptoms start to improve.
When should I see someone (physio or doctor)?
If pain persists more than a few weeks despite rest and activity modification, if pain or weakness is getting worse and affecting your daily tasks or if you develop unusual symptoms like numbness.
TL;DR for tennis elbow
Tennis elbow isn’t just a condition that affects tennis players.
It is a common overuse injury which causes pain in the outer (lateral) elbow. It develops from repetitive wrist and forearm movements, poor technique and sudden increases in load and activity.
Symptoms include pain, weak grip and discomfort when using your hands for things like opening jars or lifting objects.
In most cases, physiotherapy treatments, activity modification and progressive strengthening can help you recover from tennis elbow.
Recovery can take several weeks to months.
REFERENCES
Karan, A., Karan, M.A. & Sariyildiz, M.A., 2020. Current concepts in the management of tennis elbow. World Journal of Orthopaedics, 11(5), pp.228–238. doi:10.5312/wjo.v11.i5.228. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7222600/ [Accessed 22 September 2025].
Kaur, J., Koley, S. & Sandhu, J.S., 2022. Epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of lateral epicondylitis: a narrative review. Cureus, 14(7), e26542. doi:10.7759/cureus.26542. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9301214/ [Accessed 22 September 2025].
