Tennis elbow is a common disease among sportspersons. Nowadays, it can happen to anyone whose daily life involves excess arm motion and working with tools that can harm their arms and cause tennis elbow.
It is believed that symptoms of tennis elbow can be cured by shock wave therapy. But does shock wave therapy tennis elbow help, or does it show any side effects?
If you also have questions like this and want answers, then this article is for you as we have discussed shock wave therapy & tennis elbow relation, effectiveness, side effects and everything.
But first, let’s know about the problem and its causes.
What causes tennis elbow?
Tennis elbow or lateral epicondylitis occurs when you use your arm and wrist quick, repetitive, and excessively in your day to day lives. The excess and quick movements cause fatigue in muscles which increase the load on tendons, and this overloading on tendons causes inflammation and pain known as tendinitis.
The problem can cause pain when you use your arm for holding or lifting something and in severe conditions, it can cause unbearable pain at the slightest movement of the arm.
It can happen to anyone with excess or overuse of the arm, it starts pain at the outer part of the elbow and can last till years.
It can be okay on its own, but it may take months to recover. In severe conditions patients has to take surgery for treatment. But it is scientifically proven that shock wave therapy helps people with the pain and improves their arm movements.
How does shock wave therapy help?
Shock wave therapy involves transmitting sound wave signals to the affected area by attaching the elbow to the machine. The shock waves will stimulate the muscles and increase the blood flow in the affected area. This will lead to pain relief and increase the healing process of tearing tendons due to the excess movement of arms and wrist.
According to various reports, the scientist suggested that shock therapy is effective in treating the pain of the tennis elbow and improving the functions of arms and wrist.
How much time does it take?
The shock wave therapy will begin showing improvements in 3-12 weeks of treatment, you may need to follow up the procedure for one year.
Are there any side effects?
Just like any other treatment, the therapy also shows some side effects which are rare and do not stay for a longer period.
The side effects include pain, reddening on the skin, and itching at the affected area.
Final thoughts
The shock wave therapy helps with tennis elbow pain. It is effective in improving the function of your elbow in less pain.