Tennis elbow is that stubborn pain on the outside of your elbow that flares when you grip, lift or twist, and you certainly do not need to play tennis to get it. Medically called lateral epicondylitis, it is an overuse problem of the forearm tendons, and while it can be slow and frustrating, it is very treatable with the right approach.
Here are five proven ways to beat tennis elbow, plus what causes the elbow pain and how physiotherapy helps you recover for good.
What Is Tennis Elbow?
Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis, is an overuse condition affecting the tendons that attach to the bony bump on the outside of your elbow. These tendons control wrist and finger extension, and repetitive or excessive load can irritate and degrade them over time. Despite the name, most people who get it have never picked up a racquet. It is one of the most common causes of elbow pain in adults.
Signs You Have Tennis Elbow
The main sign is pain and tenderness on the outside of the elbow, sometimes radiating into the forearm. It typically flares with gripping, lifting, shaking hands, turning a key or door handle, or carrying objects, and the area is often tender to touch. The elbow pain usually builds gradually rather than from a single injury, which is typical of lateral epicondylitis. Weakness in your grip is common, simply because gripping hurts.
What Causes Tennis Elbow?
Lateral epicondylitis is a load problem. Repetitive gripping, wrist and forearm movements, and sudden increases in activity overload the tendons faster than they can adapt. Common culprits include manual work, computer and mouse use, DIY, gardening, racquet sports and gym work, especially with a spike in volume or poor technique. It tends to affect people in their 30s to 50s. In short, the tendon has been asked to do more than it is currently able to.
1. Manage the Load
The first step is calming the tendon down by reducing, not necessarily stopping, the activities that flare it. Total rest is not the answer, as tendons need some load to stay healthy, but backing off aggravating tasks and modifying how you do them gives the tendon room to settle. This is about finding the level your elbow can currently tolerate, then building from there.
2. Strengthen the Tendon
This is the most important one. The strongest evidence for beating it is progressive strengthening of the wrist, forearm and grip. Loading the tendon in a controlled, gradual way stimulates it to rebuild and become more resilient, addressing the actual problem rather than just the symptoms. A structured strengthening program is the cornerstone of lasting recovery, and skipping it is why many people stay stuck.
3. Try a Brace or Strap
A tennis elbow strap or brace worn just below the elbow can reduce the load on the irritated tendon and ease pain during activity. It will not fix the problem on its own, but it can be a useful aid, particularly for getting through work or aggravating tasks while you do the more important strengthening work. Think of it as support, not a solution.
4. Fix Your Technique and Setup
Because it is a load problem, how you move and work matters. Adjusting your desk and mouse setup, your grip and technique in sport, or the way you lift and carry can take load off the tendon and stop it flaring. Addressing these contributing factors is what stops the problem coming straight back once it settles.
5. Get Physiotherapy Guidance
It can be slow and stubborn, and the details of loading and progression matter. A physiotherapist confirms the diagnosis, rules out other causes, and builds a tailored strengthening and load-management plan, progressing it correctly so you actually get better. Physiotherapy pulls the other four steps together and is the most reliable path to beating it for good.
How Long Does Tennis Elbow Take to Heal?
Honestly, it can take time. Many cases improve over a few months with consistent loading and management, though stubborn ones can take longer. The key is patience and consistency with your strengthening, as tendons adapt slowly. Rushing back to full load too early is a common reason it lingers. The good news is that the large majority settle well without needing injections or surgery.
When to Seek Help
If your elbow pain is not improving with self-management, is severe, or is limiting your work or activity, get it assessed. A physiotherapist can set you on the right path. It is also worth a medical review if you have significant swelling, locking or giving way of the elbow, pain after a specific injury, or numbness and tingling into the hand, as these point to something other than a simple case.
Common Questions About Tennis Elbow
What is tennis elbow?
It is an overuse condition, medically called lateral epicondylitis, affecting the tendons on the outside of the elbow, causing pain with gripping and lifting. You do not need to play tennis to get it.
Do I need to stop activity?
Usually not completely. Reducing and modifying aggravating load, rather than total rest, works best, as tendons need some load to recover. A physiotherapist can help you find the right level.
Will it go away on its own?
It sometimes settles with time and load management, but progressive strengthening gives a more reliable recovery and reduces the chance of it returning.
Does it need surgery or injections?
Rarely. Most cases improve with loading and physiotherapy. Cortisone injections may give short-term relief but are not a long-term fix, and surgery is reserved for stubborn cases, decided with a doctor.
Can physiotherapy help?
Yes. Physiotherapy, especially a progressive strengthening program, is the most evidence-backed way to beat tennis elbow and keep it from coming back.
How BeFit Can Help
At BeFit Training Physiotherapy, we help you beat it with a clear, progressive plan. Our general physiotherapy and sports physiotherapy teams confirm the diagnosis, ease your elbow pain, and build the strengthening and load-management program that actually resolves it, and a mobility assessment can help identify contributing factors. Initial consultations run for 45 minutes, one-on-one.
Our team at Edgecliff and Coogee would be glad to help. No referral is required, and HICAPS is available on-site for immediate health fund claiming.
Book an appointment at BeFit Training Physiotherapy — no referral needed.
Edgecliff: (02) 9327 7749 | Coogee: (02) 7205 2805 | befittrainingphysio.com/book-now
Related Services at BeFit
Learn more about how our team can help:
General Physiotherapy
Sports Physiotherapy
Mobility Assessment
Further Reading
How to Know if It’s Tendinopathy or Tenosynovitis
How to Know if You Have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
References
Bisset L, Vicenzino B. Physiotherapy management of lateral epicondylalgia. Journal of Physiotherapy. 2015.
Coombes BK, Bisset L, Vicenzino B. Management of lateral elbow tendinopathy: one size does not fit all. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2015.
Australian Physiotherapy Association. Clinical guidelines. physiotherapy.asn.au.
