Tennis Elbow Treatment Methods | Is it necessary to see a physiotherapist?

When it comes to Tennis Elbow Treatment Methods, most people assume tennis players are the main ones affected, but that’s rarely the case. Fewer than 5 percent of cases actually come from playing the sport, most start from everyday repetitive movements like typing, gripping tools, or lifting.

Do you need a physiotherapist for it? Not always. Mild cases often improve with rest and home care. But if the pain lingers past a few weeks or keeps coming back, physiotherapy is usually the fastest way to fix the actual cause. Here’s how to tell where you stand, and what to do next, from the team at iGood Health Centre in Richmond Hill.

What is tennis elbow?

Tennis elbow, known medically as lateral epicondylitis, is inflammation and tiny tears in the tendons that connect your forearm muscles to the bony bump on the outside of your elbow. Every time you grip, twist, or extend your wrist, these tendons take the load. Repeat that motion enough times without proper recovery, and the tendon starts to break down faster than your body can repair it.

Symptoms of tennis elbow

• Pain or burning on the outer part of the elbow, sometimes spreading into the forearm
• Weaker grip strength, noticeable when shaking hands or holding a coffee cup
• Discomfort when straightening the arm fully or twisting the wrist
• Soreness that’s often worse in the morning or after periods of rest
• Pain that gets worse with activities like typing, lifting, or turning a doorknob

Why is it called “tennis elbow”? Common causes explained

The name comes from the backhand stroke, a motion that puts heavy strain on those same forearm tendons. But tennis is just one of many activities that can cause it. Painters, plumbers, carpenters, and office workers who type for hours are just as likely to develop it, sometimes more so. Age plays a role too, tennis elbow shows up most often in adults between 30 and 60. Smoking and carrying extra body weight have also been linked to a higher risk.

How to tell if it’s tennis elbow

The pain from tennis elbow has a specific address. It sits right on that bony bump on the outside of your elbow, the lateral epicondyle, and it usually gets worse the moment you try to grip or lift something.

Pain location and a simple home test

Press your finger firmly on the bony point on the outside of your elbow. If that spot is tender and reproduces your usual pain, that’s a strong sign of tennis elbow.

There’s also a quick movement test you can try:

1. Extend your arm fully in front of you, palm facing down
2. Make a fist and bend your wrist upward, as if telling someone to stop
3. Have someone gently push your hand back down while you resist

Pain on the outside of the elbow during this test points toward tennis elbow. This test is not a substitute for a professional diagnosis, since other conditions like nerve compression or arthritis can cause similar symptoms. A physiotherapist can confirm what’s actually going on with a proper assessment.

Is tennis elbow serious?

Most cases are not dangerous, but ignoring the pain for too long can turn a simple overuse injury into a much longer recovery.

Does tennis elbow heal on its own?

Sometimes, yes. Research shows that many cases resolve on their own within 8 to 13 months, even without treatment. That said, waiting nearly a year while avoiding daily activities is not realistic for most people, and untreated cases are more likely to become chronic or come back later.

What happens if tennis elbow goes untreated?

Left alone, the tendon damage tends to get worse before it gets better. Weak grip strength can turn into difficulty with basic tasks like opening jars or carrying bags. Some people unconsciously change how they use their arm to avoid pain, which shifts extra strain onto the wrist or shoulder and can lead to a second problem on top of the first.

Warning signs that need immediate medical attention

If any of these apply to you, this goes beyond home care and calls for prompt medical attention rather than a physiotherapy appointment first.

Home Care Tennis Elbow Treatment Methods

Before deciding whether you need professional treatment, there’s a lot you can do at home to calm things down and avoid making the injury worse.

Ice or heat, which works better?

For tennis elbow, ice is generally the better choice, especially in the early stages when the tendon is irritated and inflamed. Apply a cold pack wrapped in a thin towel to the outer elbow for 10 to 15 minutes, three to four times a day. Heat is sometimes used later in recovery to loosen a stiff joint before doing exercises, but applying heat too early can increase swelling rather than reduce it.

Movement, rest, and activities to avoid during recovery

Complete rest is not the goal here, and full immobilization can actually slow healing by weakening the tendon further. What matters is avoiding the specific movements that trigger your pain while staying gently active otherwise.

• Avoid heavy gripping, twisting jars, or lifting with your palm facing down
• Modify how you carry bags or tools, keeping your palm facing up when possible reduces strain on the tendon
• Skip racquet sports, weightlifting, or repetitive manual tasks until pain settles
• Keep the wrist and fingers moving gently through their normal range, stiffness from total disuse creates its own problems
• Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory gel applied directly to the area can offer some relief with fewer side effects than oral medication

If pain doesn’t start easing within a couple of weeks despite these changes, that’s usually the point where a physiotherapist’s input makes a real difference.

Doctor or physiotherapist, who to see for tennis elbow

For most people, a physiotherapist is the right first stop, no referral needed. A doctor becomes the better choice if you’re dealing with severe pain, numbness, or symptoms that don’t fit the usual pattern.

When is an X-ray or MRI needed?

Imaging isn’t routine for tennis elbow. Diagnosis is usually made through a physical exam alone. It comes into play mainly when:

• Symptoms don’t improve after several weeks of proper treatment
• A tendon tear, arthritis, or nerve compression is suspected instead

Physiotherapy vs. cortisone injection: what the evidence shows

Cortisone reduces inflammation but doesn’t fix the underlying tendon damage. Physiotherapy, through progressive loading exercises like eccentric strengthening, rebuilds the tendon itself. That’s usually what makes it the more lasting choice.

Tennis elbow treatment timeline

Recovery time depends heavily on how long you’ve had symptoms before starting treatment.

Typical recovery phases (mild, moderate, chronic cases)

Chronic cases take longer because the tendon has already started to break down at a structural level, not just become inflamed. Rebuilding that tissue takes time, there’s no shortcut around it.

How many physiotherapy sessions are needed?

Most people need somewhere between 6 and 12 sessions, spread over several weeks. Your physiotherapist will typically reassess progress every few visits and adjust the exercise plan as your tendon gets stronger.

What affects the cost of treatment?

• How long you’ve had the injury before seeking treatment
• How many sessions your recovery ends up needing
• Whether extended health insurance covers physiotherapy
• Whether additional treatments like shockwave therapy are recommended for slow-healing cases

At iGood Health Centre, direct billing is available for most extended health insurance plans, and our team can walk you through the cost of our physiotherapy services before treatment starts.

Returning to normal activity

Rushing back too soon is one of the most common reasons tennis elbow comes back.

When is it safe to return to sports or exercise?

A good rule of thumb: you should be able to grip firmly and move the wrist through its full range without pain, not just less pain, before returning to your sport or activity. For most people, this happens gradually over the final few weeks of physiotherapy, not all at once. Going back too early, even if the sharp pain is gone, often means the tendon hasn’t finished rebuilding its strength.

How to prevent tennis elbow from coming back

• Warm up the forearm before activities that involve repetitive gripping or swinging
• Check your equipment, an ill-fitting racquet grip or tool handle adds unnecessary strain
• Keep doing your strengthening exercises even after pain is gone, this is what protects the tendon long term
• Take breaks during repetitive tasks like typing or manual work
• Pay attention to early warning signs, mild soreness is easier to manage than a full flare-up

Conclusion

Tennis elbow is rarely something to panic about, but it’s also not something that improves by simply pushing through the pain. If you’re noticing that ache on the outside of your elbow and it’s sticking around longer than a couple of weeks, that’s your sign to get it looked at properly. The experienced team at iGood Health Centre in Richmond Hill can assess exactly what’s going on and build a treatment plan that gets you back to full strength, not just temporary relief. Book an assessment today and let’s get that elbow moving the way it should.