A 30 minute Elbow Assessment with an accredited exercise physiologist in Epping.
Prefer to talk? Call 03 7047 6261
Epping clinic · Accredited clinicians · Book online in a minute
These moments are common with tennis elbow, and most people find things do improve with the right approach.
Tennis elbow is an overload problem in the tendons on the outside of your elbow, the ones that attach to the muscles controlling your wrist and fingers. Every time you grip, lift or twist, those tendons take on load. When the load coming in regularly outpaces what the tendon can currently handle, called its capacity, the tissue starts to react and becomes irritable.
This is why it often creeps in gradually rather than from one single injury. Typing all day, gripping tools, lifting a kettle, or a sudden increase in gym training can all add up. None of these on their own seems like much, but together they can tip the balance.
It tends to linger because the tendon needs a steady, graded dose of load to adapt and strengthen again, not complete rest and not a sudden return to full activity. Both extremes can keep the cycle going. Getting the loading right, and matched to your daily demands, is usually what makes the difference.
None of this means something is seriously wrong with your elbow. It is a common, well understood pattern, and with the right approach most people are able to work towards getting back to gripping, lifting and using their arm with more confidence.
We build plans from the evidence, not guesswork. Here is some of it.
A systematic review found eccentric strength training is one of two most effective physiotherapy treatments for lateral elbow tendinopathy with favourable cost-benefit.
Landesa-Piñeiro & Leirós-Rodríguez (2022). Physiotherapy treatment of lateral epicondylitis: A systematic review. J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. PubMed 34397403Grip strength improved in patients with lateral epicondylitis receiving dry needling compared to other treatments.
Ma et al. (2024). Therapeutic Effects of Dry Needling on Lateral Epicondylitis: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. PubMed 38484834Progressive tendon loading is recommended as central to comprehensive treatment for Achilles tendinopathy recovery and return to sport.
Silbernagel et al. (2020). Current Clinical Concepts: Conservative Management of Achilles Tendinopathy. J Athl Train. PubMed 32267723Research summaries are general information, not advice about your situation. Your assessment is what tells us what applies to you.
Time off the tools or the racquet often eases things for a while, but the tendon still has to cope with the same gripping and lifting once you go back. Without rebuilding capacity, the same load meets the same weak spot and it flares again.
Wrist stretches printed off the internet can feel useful early on, but tennis elbow usually needs a structured, progressive loading plan matched to your arm and your work, not a one-size-fits-all sheet.
Focusing purely on the painful patch on the outside of the elbow can miss what is happening further up, through the wrist, forearm and shoulder, that is adding to the load the tendon has to manage.
Pushing through until it flares, then backing off completely, then pushing through again, keeps the tendon in a cycle of overload and undertreatment. It rarely gets the steady, graded dose it needs to adapt.
We start by talking through how long it has bothered you, what it is getting in the way of, and what you have already tried.
We look at how your elbow, wrist and forearm move, test grip strength and load tolerance, and identify what movements or positions bring on your symptoms.
We walk you through what is likely driving the pain and outline a clear plan, whether that is a loading program, changes to how you grip and lift, or a course of sessions with us.
If you are not sure whether this is tennis elbow or something else, come in and we will work it out together.
Answer a few quick questions and we will get in touch to book you in.
Accredited clinicians who will explain everything in plain language.
No referral is needed to book a Tennis Elbow Assessment. If you have an NDIS plan or DVA card, bring the details along and we will check how it applies.
A t-shirt or top with sleeves that roll up easily above the elbow works well, so we can see your arm move and test grip comfortably.
The initial assessment runs for 30 minutes. That gives us time to look at how your elbow moves, test grip and load tolerance, and talk through your daily demands at work, home or the gym.
Many private health funds offer rebates for exercise physiology under extras cover. Bring your card and we can process this on the spot where possible.
We keep testing well within a comfortable range and adjust as we go. Mild soreness afterward is common and expected, and we will talk you through what to do if that happens.
For most people, appropriately dosed and progressed loading is a key part of helping a tendon cope better over time. We tailor the plan to your elbow and your goals, and monitor how it responds.
Yes, there is parking available near our Epping clinic at Unit 11, 58 Willandra Drive.
You will walk away with a clearer picture of what is driving your elbow pain and a plan for what to do next, whether that is a course of sessions with us or specific exercises to start at home.
Book a $79, 30 minute Tennis Elbow Assessment with an accredited exercise physiologist at our Epping clinic.
Prefer to talk? Call 03 7047 6261.