Elbow Pain Treatment in Basalt: Tennis Elbow, Golfer’s Elbow and Forearm Tendon Pain
- drjoeferetdc
- 1 day ago
- 10 min read
Elbow pain can sneak up on you.
At first, it may just feel like a small ache when you grip, lift, swing, type, pull, or carry something. Then it starts showing up during workouts, yard work, pickleball, golf, tennis, climbing, biking, manual labor, or even simple daily tasks like opening a jar or holding a coffee mug.
Many people assume all outside elbow pain is “tennis elbow.”
But elbow pain is not always that simple.
At Performance & Recovery Clinic in Basalt, we evaluate elbow pain by looking at the whole chain: the elbow, wrist, forearm, shoulder, neck, grip strength, tendon tolerance, and the specific activities that are irritating the area.
Our goal is not just to calm symptoms temporarily.
Our goal is to help you understand why the elbow is irritated, restore better movement, rebuild strength, and return to the activities you care about.
What Is Tennis Elbow?
Tennis elbow is commonly used to describe pain on the outside of the elbow.
The medical term is often lateral epicondylalgia or lateral elbow tendinopathy. You may also hear the term lateral epicondylitis, although many chronic cases are less about active inflammation and more about tendon overload, sensitivity, and reduced tendon capacity.
Tennis elbow usually involves the wrist extensor tendons that attach near the outside of the elbow.
These muscles help with:
Gripping
Lifting
Wrist extension
Racquet sports
Golf
Climbing
Typing and mouse use
Carrying bags
Tool use
Manual labor
Pulling and lifting exercises
Despite the name, you do not need to play tennis to develop tennis elbow.
We commonly see it in active adults, tradespeople, desk workers, golfers, pickleball players, climbers, weightlifters, massage/manual workers, mountain bikers, and people who suddenly increase gripping or lifting volume.
What Is Golfer’s Elbow?
Golfer’s elbow usually refers to pain on the inside of the elbow.
The medical term is commonly medial epicondylalgia or medial elbow tendinopathy.
This often involves the wrist flexor and pronator tendons that attach near the inside of the elbow.
These tissues are stressed during:
Gripping
Pulling
Golf
Climbing
Throwing
Lifting
Gardening
Tool use
Manual labor
Racquet sports
Heavy carries
Just like tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow is not limited to golfers.
It is usually a load-management and tendon-capacity issue.
Common Symptoms of Elbow Tendon Pain
Elbow tendon pain can feel different from person to person.
Common symptoms include:
Aching on the outside or inside of the elbow
Pain with gripping
Pain lifting a coffee cup, pan, bag, or tool
Pain during rows, pull-ups, deadlifts, curls, or carries
Pain with tennis, pickleball, golf, or climbing
Forearm tightness
Weak grip
Morning stiffness
Tenderness near the bony part of the elbow
Pain that warms up during activity but returns later
Discomfort after typing or mouse use
Symptoms may start gradually or follow a sudden increase in activity.
For example, a weekend of yard work, a new workout program, more pickleball, a long climbing session, or a change in work demands may overload the tendons.
Why Elbow Pain Often Keeps Coming Back
Many people try to rest elbow pain.
Rest may calm symptoms temporarily, but the pain often returns when the person resumes normal activity.
That happens because rest alone does not rebuild tendon capacity.
The tendon still needs to tolerate gripping, lifting, pulling, swinging, typing, and sport-specific demands.
Elbow pain may keep returning because of:
Poor tendon load tolerance
Weakness in the wrist and forearm
Grip strength deficits
Shoulder or scapular control issues
Neck contribution
Repetitive work demands
Training volume spikes
Poor recovery
Limited wrist mobility
Poor lifting mechanics
Irritated nerve tissue
Returning to activity too quickly
That is why our approach is not just “rub the sore spot.”
We want to know why that spot became overloaded in the first place.
How We Evaluate Elbow Pain at Performance & Recovery Clinic
When someone comes in with elbow pain, we do not only look at the elbow.
We assess the full system that influences the elbow.
This may include:
Elbow range of motion
Wrist mobility
Forearm rotation
Grip strength
Pain with resisted wrist motion
Tendon tenderness
Shoulder range of motion
Rotator cuff strength
Scapular control
Neck mobility
Nerve-related symptoms
Workstation or ergonomic demands
Sport-specific movements
Lifting mechanics
Training volume and recent activity changes
This matters because elbow pain may be driven by the local tendon, but it may also be influenced by the wrist, shoulder, neck, or the way the arm is being loaded.
For example:
A climber may need finger, wrist, and pulling-load management.
A golfer may need wrist, forearm, shoulder, and thoracic rotation assessment.
A desk worker may need workstation changes, forearm mobility, and neck/shoulder support.
A lifter may need grip, pulling volume, and pressing mechanics evaluated.
A pickleball or tennis player may need shoulder control, racquet volume, grip size, and swing demands considered.
Our Treatment Approach for Elbow Pain
At Performance & Recovery Clinic, elbow pain treatment may include a combination of hands-on care, rehabilitation, tendon loading, and recovery technology.
The exact plan depends on your exam findings, activity goals, and symptom irritability.
1. Manual Therapy for the Elbow, Forearm and Wrist
Manual therapy may be used to reduce sensitivity, improve mobility, and help the arm move more comfortably.
This may include work around the:
Wrist extensors
Wrist flexors
Forearm muscles
Elbow joint
Wrist joint
Hand and grip tissues
Shoulder and upper back when relevant
Manual therapy can be helpful for short-term pain reduction and movement improvement, but it is usually not enough by itself for chronic tendon pain.
That is why we pair it with progressive exercise.
2. Joint Mobilization and Chiropractic Extremity Adjustments
The elbow does not work in isolation.
The wrist, elbow, shoulder, neck, and thoracic spine all influence how load travels through the arm.
When appropriate, care may include mobilization or adjustments to improve motion in areas such as:
Wrist
Elbow
Shoulder
Thoracic spine
Cervical spine
This is not about “cracking the elbow” as a cure.
It is about improving joint motion and reducing unnecessary compensation so the arm can tolerate rehab and activity better.
3. Progressive Tendon Loading
This is one of the most important parts of elbow pain rehab.
Tendons usually need progressive loading to become stronger and more tolerant.
Depending on the case, we may use:
Isometric holds
Slow wrist extension exercises
Slow wrist flexion exercises
Eccentric loading
Pronation and supination strengthening
Grip-strength work
Farmer carries
Rows or pulling progressions
Sport-specific return-to-load drills
The goal is to find the right dose.
Too little loading may not create change.
Too much loading may flare the tendon.
A good rehab plan meets the tendon where it is and progresses from there.
4. Shockwave Therapy for Chronic Tendon Pain
For qualifying chronic tendon cases, we may use focused shockwave therapy as part of the treatment plan.
Shockwave therapy is often considered for tendon-related conditions that have been stubborn, recurring, or slow to respond.
At Performance & Recovery Clinic, shockwave is not used as a stand-alone magic fix.
It is used as a tool within a broader plan that may include:
Tendon loading
Manual therapy
Activity modification
Strengthening
Recovery guidance
Return-to-sport or return-to-work progression
For chronic tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow, shockwave may help stimulate a healing response and reduce pain sensitivity when the condition is appropriate for that treatment.
We still need to rebuild the tendon’s ability to handle real-life demands.
5. Laser, Infrared or Recovery Modalities When Appropriate
Some patients may benefit from supportive recovery modalities to help calm symptoms and improve tolerance for movement.
Depending on the presentation, this may include options such as:
Laser or infrared therapy
PEMF/PMST-style recovery support
Soft tissue treatment
Compression or recovery tools when relevant
These tools are not used to replace exercise.
They are used to help create a better window for movement, loading, and recovery.
6. Shoulder, Neck and Scapular Control
Elbow pain may be local, but the shoulder and neck often matter.
If the shoulder blade does not control well, or if the shoulder lacks endurance, the forearm may take on more stress during gripping, lifting, or swinging.
If the neck is contributing nerve sensitivity, the elbow may feel irritated even when the local tendon is not the only issue.
Depending on the exam, your plan may include:
Rotator cuff strengthening
Scapular control exercises
Thoracic mobility
Neck mobility
Grip and forearm strengthening
Postural endurance work
Sport-specific upper-body progressions
The elbow is part of a larger system.
That system needs to work together.
7. Activity Modification Without Complete Rest
Most people do not need to completely stop everything.
But they do need to modify the things that are repeatedly irritating the tendon.
That may mean adjusting:
Grip intensity
Training volume
Lifting exercises
Racquet sport frequency
Climbing volume
Tool use
Workstation setup
Mouse or keyboard habits
Recovery days
Warm-up routine
Return-to-sport progression
The goal is not to avoid activity forever.
The goal is to reduce unnecessary irritation while building the elbow’s capacity back up.
Why Stretching Alone Usually Is Not Enough
Many people with elbow pain stretch the forearm over and over.
Stretching may feel good temporarily, but chronic tendon pain usually needs more than flexibility.
The tendon needs to tolerate load.
That means your plan should likely include some form of progressive strengthening.
For tennis elbow, this often includes the wrist extensors.
For golfer’s elbow, this often includes the wrist flexors and pronators.
For both, grip strength, shoulder control, and activity-specific tolerance often matter.
Stretching can be part of the plan.
It should not be the entire plan.
When Elbow Pain May Not Be Tennis Elbow
Not every elbow ache is tennis elbow.
Other possible contributors include:
Golfer’s elbow
Radial tunnel irritation
Cubital tunnel irritation
Cervical radiculopathy
Biceps or triceps tendon irritation
Elbow joint irritation
Arthritis
Ligament sprain
Nerve entrapment
Referred pain from the neck or shoulder
Acute strain or trauma
This is one reason an exam matters.
If symptoms include numbness, tingling, weakness, loss of grip, pain traveling down the arm, or symptoms that do not behave like a tendon problem, we need to look deeper.
Red Flags: When to Get Evaluated Promptly
Schedule an evaluation if you have:
Elbow pain lasting more than a few weeks
Pain that keeps returning
Weak grip
Numbness or tingling
Pain traveling into the hand
Pain after a fall or direct trauma
Swelling or bruising
Loss of elbow motion
Night pain that is worsening
Pain that limits work or sport
Symptoms that are getting worse despite rest
Seek urgent care if you have major trauma, visible deformity, significant swelling, fever, or sudden severe weakness.
What to Expect at Your First Visit
At Performance & Recovery Clinic, your first visit is designed to identify what is driving the problem.
We will talk through:
Where your pain is located
What activities trigger it
How long it has been going on
What you have already tried
Your work and sport demands
Your training or activity changes
Your goals for recovery
Then we will assess the elbow, wrist, forearm, shoulder, neck, and movement patterns that matter for your situation.
From there, we build a plan that may include hands-on care, strengthening, tendon loading, shockwave therapy when appropriate, recovery tools, and home exercises.
The goal is to give you a clear path forward.
Who We Help With Elbow Pain
We commonly help people with elbow pain related to:
Tennis
Pickleball
Golf
Climbing
Weightlifting
CrossFit
Cycling and mountain biking
Skiing and pole use
Manual labor
Tool use
Yard work
Desk work
Typing and mouse use
Massage or manual work
Repetitive gripping
Active daily life
Whether your elbow pain started from sport, work, or everyday overuse, the key is finding the right combination of treatment, load management, and strengthening.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is tennis elbow only caused by tennis?
No. Tennis elbow can develop from many repetitive gripping or wrist-extension activities, including lifting, typing, tool use, climbing, pickleball, golf, and manual labor.
What is the difference between tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow?
Tennis elbow usually causes pain on the outside of the elbow. Golfer’s elbow usually causes pain on the inside of the elbow.
Can chiropractic care help elbow pain?
Chiropractic care may help by improving joint motion, reducing compensation, addressing the wrist, elbow, shoulder, and neck, and supporting a progressive rehab plan.
Do you treat the elbow directly?
Yes. We may treat the elbow, forearm, wrist, shoulder, and neck depending on what the exam shows.
Do you use shockwave therapy for tennis elbow?
Yes, when appropriate. Focused shockwave therapy may be used for qualifying chronic tendon conditions such as chronic tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow as part of a broader rehab plan.
Is shockwave therapy enough by itself?
Usually no. Shockwave may help reduce pain and stimulate a healing response, but long-term improvement typically also requires progressive loading and activity modification.
Should I rest tennis elbow completely?
Temporary activity modification may help, but complete rest alone often does not rebuild tendon capacity. Most cases need a gradual strengthening plan.
Should I stretch my forearms?
Gentle stretching may help some people, but stretching alone is usually not enough for recurring tendon pain.
Why does my elbow hurt when gripping?
Gripping loads the forearm tendons that attach near the elbow. If those tissues are irritated or underprepared, gripping can reproduce pain.
Why does elbow pain come back after it feels better?
Symptoms may calm down before the tendon has regained enough capacity. Returning to full activity too quickly can flare it again.
Can neck problems cause elbow pain?
Yes. Nerve irritation from the neck or upper limb can sometimes mimic or contribute to elbow and forearm pain.
How long does elbow tendon pain take to improve?
It depends on severity, duration, irritability, activity demands, and consistency with treatment and rehab. Chronic tendon pain often requires a progressive plan over weeks to months.
Elbow Pain Treatment in Basalt, Colorado
At Performance & Recovery Clinic, we help active adults and athletes recover from elbow pain by combining assessment, hands-on care, progressive rehab, and recovery technology when appropriate.
We do not treat every elbow the same.
We look at the elbow, wrist, forearm, shoulder, neck, and the activities that matter to you.
Care may include:
Chiropractic care
Extremity adjustments or mobilization
Manual therapy
Forearm and wrist strengthening
Tendon-loading exercises
Grip-strength training
Shoulder and scapular rehab
Shockwave Therapy for qualifying chronic tendon conditions
Laser or infrared support when appropriate
Ergonomic and activity modification
Return-to-sport or return-to-work progression
If elbow pain is limiting your lifting, gripping, golf, tennis, pickleball, climbing, biking, work, or daily life, schedule an evaluation with Performance & Recovery Clinic in Basalt.
We serve Basalt, Carbondale, Aspen, Snowmass, Glenwood Springs, and the Roaring Fork Valley.
Performance & Recovery Clinic100 Elk Run Drive, Suite 220Basalt, CO 81621(970) 837-7232
Book online: https://drjoe.clientsecure.me
Link naturally to:
Shockwave Therapy
Sports Chiropractic
Exercise Rehabilitation
Shoulder Pain Treatment
Wrist and Forearm Openers
Performance & Recovery Method
Chiropractic Care
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