Tennis Elbow, Golfer’s Elbow & Elbow Pain

Tennis Elbow, Golfer’s Elbow, Tendon Irritation, and Bursitis

Elbow pain can make gripping, lifting, typing, exercising, and everyday tasks difficult. Several problems can cause pain in or around the elbow, so an examination is important before choosing care.

At Crossroads Chiropractic, we evaluate how the symptoms began, which movements reproduce them, and whether the problem appears to involve a tendon, bursa, joint, muscle, or nerve. We also screen for findings that may require imaging or referral.

Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)

Tennis elbow is irritation or overload of the tendons that attach to the outside of the elbow. You do not have to play tennis to develop it. Repeated gripping, lifting with the palm down, using hand tools, racquet sports, computer work, and changes in exercise volume can increase load on the forearm tendons.

Typical symptoms include outer-elbow tenderness, pain with gripping or lifting, discomfort when extending the wrist, and reduced grip tolerance.

Golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylitis)

Golfer’s elbow affects the tendon area on the inside of the elbow. It may be aggravated by repeated wrist flexion, gripping, throwing, weight training, golf, or work-related hand use. Symptoms can include inner-elbow tenderness, pain with gripping or wrist movement, and forearm tightness.

What about tendon irritation and bursitis?

Tendon-related elbow pain often reflects irritation and reduced load tolerance rather than a problem explained by inflammation alone. Olecranon bursitis affects the fluid-filled sac at the point of the elbow and may cause visible swelling and tenderness. Because causes and care differ, a swollen elbow should be examined rather than assumed to be tennis or golfer’s elbow.

How elbow pain is evaluated

An evaluation may include your activity and injury history, the exact location of pain, range of motion, grip and forearm strength, tendon-loading tests, and an assessment of the wrist, elbow, shoulder, and neck when relevant. Numbness, tingling, or weakness may suggest nerve involvement and can change the plan.

X-rays or referral may be appropriate after a significant injury, with loss of motion, suspected fracture or arthritis, persistent swelling, progressive weakness or numbness, signs of infection, or symptoms that are not responding as expected.

Conservative care options

Activity modification and progressive loading

Temporarily reducing or changing the activity that repeatedly aggravates the elbow can give the tissue an opportunity to settle. Complete rest is not always necessary. A gradual return to gripping, lifting, and strengthening is often more useful than repeatedly testing a painful movement.

Soft-tissue care and mobility

Soft-tissue techniques, mobility work, and individualized home exercises may be used to address forearm tightness, motion limits, and tendon load tolerance.

Chiropractic care

Chiropractic care may be included when the examination identifies relevant joint or movement restrictions in the elbow, wrist, shoulder, or neck. Elbow tendon problems are not automatically caused by spinal “stress” or a “pinched nerve,” and we do not claim that spinal care removes the local tendon problem. The plan should match the examination findings.

MyACT / shockwave therapy

MyACT shockwave therapy may be considered for selected persistent tendon-related complaints. It applies targeted acoustic pressure waves to involved soft tissue. Realistic goals include supporting local comfort, mobility, tissue recovery, and a gradual return to activity.

MyACT is not appropriate for everyone and is not a substitute for a complete evaluation, activity changes, or progressive rehabilitation. Results vary, and no specific outcome is guaranteed.

When referral may be appropriate

We may recommend primary care, orthopedics, physical therapy, or another specialist when the history or examination suggests a fracture, significant ligament injury, nerve problem, infection, inflammatory condition, marked swelling, or a problem outside our scope. Prompt medical attention is appropriate for severe pain after trauma, major deformity, fever with a hot or red joint, or rapidly worsening weakness or numbness.