That sharp ache on the outside of your elbow can make gripping a coffee mug, lifting groceries, typing, or swinging a racquet feel harder than it should. Tennis elbow is common in athletes, active parents, fitness enthusiasts, and people who use their hands repeatedly for work or hobbies. We help patients from Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, and Spokane understand why the tendon is irritated, what it needs to heal, and whether Shockwave Therapy may support recovery.
>>>If elbow pain is limiting your day, book an appointment online to get started.
Tennis elbow, also called lateral epicondylitis, affects the tendons that attach near the outside of the elbow. These tendons help extend the wrist and stabilize the hand during gripping, lifting, swinging, and carrying.
Despite the name, tennis elbow does not only affect tennis players. We often see it in pickleball players, golfers, weightlifters, baseball and softball athletes, office workers, contractors, mechanics, and parents who are constantly carrying kids, bags, groceries, or sports equipment.
One reason tennis elbow can linger is that tendons do not always heal with rest alone. Rest may calm symptoms for a short time, but once the same activity returns, the pain often comes back. That is because the tendon still needs to rebuild strength, tolerance, and resilience.
When patients come to us with elbow pain, we look beyond the painful spot. We assess grip strength, wrist mobility, shoulder mechanics, training volume, work demands, and the movements that may be keeping the tendon irritated.
Shockwave therapy uses acoustic waves directed into the irritated tendon area. The goal is to stimulate a healing response, support circulation, reduce pain sensitivity, and help the tendon tolerate movement and loading more effectively.
For tennis elbow, shockwave therapy may be especially helpful when symptoms have lasted for weeks or months and the tendon feels stuck in a cycle of pain. It can be a useful option for patients who have tried rest, braces, stretching, or general exercise but still feel limited with gripping and lifting.
Shockwave therapy is not meant to be a stand-alone cure. We view it as one part of a complete rehab strategy. The best results usually happen when shockwave is paired with progressive strengthening, activity modification, hands-on care when appropriate, and a clear plan for returning to sport, work, or exercise.
Our Physical Therapy approach focuses on finding the reason your elbow keeps getting irritated, not just chasing symptoms. Shockwave therapy may help reduce pain enough for the tendon to tolerate the strengthening it needs.
For example, if gripping a dumbbell, holding a tennis racquet, or lifting a gallon of milk causes pain, we may use shockwave therapy alongside specific exercises that gradually rebuild the tendon’s capacity. Over time, the goal is to help your elbow handle more load without flaring up.
We may also look at the shoulder and upper back because poor control higher up the chain can increase stress at the elbow. For athletes, this is especially important. A tennis player, pickleball player, or thrower may feel elbow pain because the wrist and forearm are absorbing too much force.
That is why our Sports Medicine approach connects pain relief with performance. We want your elbow to feel better, but we also want your body to move better so the problem is less likely to return.
Shockwave therapy may be worth discussing when tennis elbow is not improving with basic rest or home care. It can also be helpful for people who want a noninvasive treatment that supports tendon recovery while they continue working toward strength and function.
You may benefit from an evaluation if you notice:
These symptoms can affect much more than sports. Many patients tell us they feel pain when using a mouse, cooking, doing yardwork, lifting a child, or carrying bags. When elbow pain starts changing how you move through your day, it is time to get a more specific plan.
Shockwave therapy can help create a better healing environment, but tendons need progressive loading to become stronger. That means the long-term solution usually includes carefully planned exercise.
In the early stages, we may use gentle isometric exercises to reduce pain and improve tolerance. As symptoms improve, we may add eccentric strengthening, grip progressions, wrist and forearm strengthening, shoulder stability, and sport-specific movements.
This process should be challenging enough to create change but not so aggressive that it constantly flares the tendon. That balance is one of the biggest reasons patients benefit from working with our physical therapists instead of guessing through exercises on their own.
For active patients, we also talk about training volume. Sometimes the issue is not one movement but the total amount of stress placed on the elbow. A patient may be lifting weights, playing pickleball, typing all day, and doing weekend projects without enough recovery between repeated gripping tasks.
Every case of tennis elbow is different, so we build the plan around your life, sport, work demands, and goals. A pickleball player may need help managing swing volume and grip mechanics. A lifter may need modifications to pulling exercises, curls, presses, or grip-heavy movements. A parent may need better strategies for carrying children, groceries, and sports bags without constant pain.
When appropriate, we may also incorporate Deep Tissue Laser Therapy to support pain relief and tissue recovery, Massage Therapy to address forearm tightness, or Ultrasound Imaging Services to better understand how the tendon and surrounding tissues are behaving.
For athletes who want to reduce future injury risk, our Bulletproof Injury Prevention service helps connect rehab to performance instead of stopping at pain relief.
Shockwave therapy may help tennis elbow by reducing pain and supporting the tendon’s healing response, especially when symptoms have become persistent. It works best when it is part of a complete rehab plan that includes strengthening, movement assessment, activity modification, and a gradual return to the things you love.
Your one-stop shop for performance, physical therapy, and wellness in Spokane, WA.
If tennis elbow is keeping you from lifting, gripping, training, or playing with confidence, call (509) 928-3443 or book an appointment online today.
Dr. Ryan Zumwalt is the owner of Lighthouse Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine and a licensed physical therapist specializing in orthopedic and sports rehabilitation. A former Division I wrestler and Seattle Mariners medical team member, he is passionate about helping patients recover and return to peak performance.
