Tennis elbow, medically known as lateral epicondylitis, is a common cause of pain on the outer side of the elbow. Despite its name, it doesn’t only affect tennis players — it can occur in anyone who performs repetitive wrist or forearm movements, such as typing, lifting, or using tools.
The pain arises from micro-tears and inflammation in the tendons that attach to the bony bump (lateral epicondyle) on the outside of the elbow. Over time, this can lead to degeneration of the tendon tissue, known as tendinopathy.
Typical symptoms include:
Because tendon irritation can persist and limit daily activities, specialist treatment helps relieve pain and promote lasting tendon healing.
At Wessex Pain Clinic, diagnosis begins with a thorough clinical examination of the elbow and forearm. Our consultants assess for tenderness over the lateral epicondyle and reproduce pain with specific resisted wrist or finger movements.
We may arrange ultrasound imaging to assess the tendon structure and detect inflammation or small tears.
In more complex or long-standing cases, MRI scanning can help exclude other causes such as joint arthritis, nerve entrapment, or referred pain from the neck.
Our physiotherapy and rehabilitation partners play a crucial role in recovery, focusing on:
At Wessex Pain Clinic, we work as a team and meet regularly to discuss complex, treatment resistant or unusual cases. As such you will often receive the expertise of several pain consultants. We believe that we are one of very few pain clinics to offer this.
We may recommend:
When symptoms persist despite rest and physiotherapy, our consultants offer precise image-guided treatments, including corticosteroid injections to reduce inflammation and pain in the tendon region
These procedures are performed under ultrasound guidance to ensure safety and accuracy.
Our friendly team is on hand to support you every step of the way. Please get in touch at any time.
