Peter G. Hanson M.D.

“Tennis elbow” does not always come from tennis.  Just like “athlete’s foot” is not restricted to athlete’s.  However, if you have pain on the outer aspect of your dominant elbow, and you DO play tennis, let’s review some ways to fix it.

First of all, the inflammation usually extends from the bony prominence on the outer side of the elbow down into the extensor muscles of the forearm.  Even simple movements like cocking the wrist can produce sharp pains.  Certainly rest and ice can be useful right after an injury, but if the problem becomes chronic, or if there is an important tennis game coming up, acupuncture can provide an outstanding cure. 

First, trigger points are identified, and fine painless needles are inserted deeply into each spot.  Usually a couple are inserted around the “knob” or lateral epicondyle on the outer side of the elbow.  Then a mild computerized stimulation is given to each pair of needles.  Normally only a few needles are used for this treatment.  Each is painless once inserted, and only a very mild “pinch” sensation is noted when they are inserted. 

Usually two treatments are done per week, and tennis can usually be restarted soon.  Most patients respond in less than three treatments, and are cured with less than ten total treatments.

TIPS: Consult with your tennis pro in case you are guilty of any of these causes:

1. Gorilla Grip (white-knuckles throughout the whole game).   Your pro can review better use of your other hand to hold the racket face while your grip relaxes between strokes.

2. Lazy Feet: If you are slow to get into position, hitting backhand shots late and behind you will GUARANTEE a tennis elbow.  If you are faster to the ball, you can strike it a bit earlier, ahead of your feet, and save yourself the pain.

3.  String Tension:  If your strings are old, or if they are too tight, or if they are from a racket built for a much stronger player than you are, then you can give yourself tennis elbow.  Also make sure you have the proper dampening rubber piece in the strings, either the plug or the interwoven rubber piece.

4. The Racket:  Make sure the handle is the proper size, and the frame is matched to your speed of stroke.  Often people want the exact equipment that power players use on tour, but they may have a very different speed of striking the ball; the wrong equipment can easily create a negative reaction on your elbow.  If your racket is old, make sure it is frequently restrung (don’t wait til the strings break!).  If you are buying a new one, first try out some demos and ask a pro for a recommendation based on your game.

5. The Rehab: nothing prepares you for tennis like the game itself. But if you are sore, don’t start back to a full swing.  But you don’t need to stay away from the court until you are fully recovered.  Try mini-tennis like the Davis Cup teams do for warm-ups: use the two sevice boxes on each side of the net.  Each person starts at the “T”, and each stroke is just a gentle “meeting” of the ball.  No full swings.  Great practice for angle shots, drop shots, deceptions etc.  Still keeps the brain in the game, without hurting your elbow.  Once you have done this for a few sessions, try stepping back towards the base line, and see if your arm is ready for a fuller swing.

For more information about treating tennis elbow with acupuncture, contact www.peterhansonmd.com.

Sports injuries are of dramatic concern to the professional athlete, whose season and even career depend upon prompt healing and minimal side-effects.  But the amateur ”weekend warrior” can have even more problems, often because the patient is not as fit or as young as the professional athlete.  What we are learning about treating professionals is now filtering into the mainstream to give better results to the general public when they have aches, sprains, tears, or fractures.

With the professional, we have long recognized the value of a diverse approach.  An oft quoted maxim applies here: “There is no such thing as expertise, just different areas of ignorance“ !  In the locker rooms of professional teams everywhere this means the treatment team will include orthopedic surgeons, internal medicine specialists, as well as chiropractic treatments done by the trainer.  Additional experts provide  massage, physical therapies, and stretching and weight training expertise to get the player back on form.  In addition, a new use for an old treatment is being seen with Medical Acupuncture. 

Dr. Peter G. Hanson is an M.D. with three decades of experience treating professional athletes.  Starting in Canada, he was the youngest team doctor in North America at the age of 24, with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.  His patients included quarterback Joe Theismann.  Since then he has looked after many Olympians from Canada, the US, and even from Russia.  His first patient in Denver was Bronco quarterback John Elway, whose throwing arm was repaired in time to rejoin the last two games of his 1992 season.  Since then, he has been in the locker rooms treating many NHL teams, including the Colorado Avalanche, as well as the Los Angeles Kings. 

His treatments are unique, in that they incorporate modern computerized stimulation of needles, along with a three-dimentional approach to their placement around the injured anatomy.

This expertise is invaluable to the amateur athlete as well.  Whether the child injuries in a soccer game, or a skiing injury in an octagenarian, medical acupuncture serves them well.  Free from any side effects, it facilitates a powerful pain relief, as well as treating the underlying inflammation and other injury issues that cause the pain. 

Because Dr. Hanson is used to working with the other modalities, he is pleased to communicate with the principle doctor, or other referring therapists as indicated.

For more information, visit www.peterhansonmd.com.