Is Treating Tennis Elbow Inflammation A Pointless Waste Of Time?
It’s the ultimate Tennis Elbow sacred cow. If you’re still fighting, treating or otherwise chasing inflammation – Here’s why you’re wasting your time – And essentially chasing a ghost.
For the full article with video please visit my Tennis Elbow Classroom site at:
Tossing The “Tendonitis” Myth – Why Tennis Elbow Is NOT Inflammatory
Time To Toss The “Tendinitis” Inflammation Myth
Medical researches first started finding evidence DECADES ago that the original persistent or “Chronic” inflammation / “Tendonitis” theory on Tennis Elbow was incorrect.
(Also known as ‘Lateral Epicondylitis’ or ‘Elbow Tendonitis’ / ‘Tendinitis’)
And this goes for most other tendon problems, generally known as ‘Tendinopathies,’ as well.
Since that time, it’s been conclusively proven that the vast majority of Tennis Elbow cases do not involve any significant inflammation…
Which is why they shouldn’t be classified as conditions ending with “ITIS” that would generally indicate an inflammatory condition, such as TendonITIS or EpicondylITIS…
Instead, most of these conditions (or cases) have been re-classified as TendinOSIS, to designate them as degenerative in nature.
- When it comes to tissue repair, inflammation is part of the healing process, so it would make no sense at all to blame inflammation for Tennis Elbow. It’s a symptom not a cause.
- In most cases inflammation is missing from Tennis Elbow – It’s failing to heal and breaking down in a degenerative “slow rot” process.
- A little inflammation would be a good sign and needs to happen for healing to occur – So the last thing you would want to do is try to suppress, fight or “chase” it away.
The most important reason why fighting inflammation is not a good idea, is not so much that it’s a waste of time, it’s that it may be harmful to your recovery!
Here are all my articles on Tennis Elbow discussing all the treatments available for it, from ice all the way to surgery.
Treatment In The Marin County / S.F. Bay Area
If you happen to live in the S.F. Bay Area, especially in Marin County, please see my article and video about how I treat Tennis and Golfer’s Elbow: