Elbow

Tennis Elbow Treatment That Goes Beyond the Painful Spot

Gripping a mug, shaking a hand, picking up a bag. When simple tasks send sharp pain through your elbow, you need more than rest and a brace. You need answers.

We assess the whole chain, not just the sore spot.

Your elbow, forearm, grip and shoulder are tested together so nothing gets missed.

Advanced shockwave and EMTT paired with targeted strength work.

We combine therapies that restart healing with exercises that rebuild tendon capacity.

A progressive plan so you don’t rush back and flare again.

We guide your return to gripping, lifting and sport at a pace your tendon can handle.

60-minute one-on-one assessment + treatment plan.

No pressure, no contracts.

Is This You?

If any of this sounds familiar, you're in the right place.

Pain on the outside of your elbow when you grip, lift or twist

Weaker grip on that side, dropping things or losing endurance

You use your hands heavily at work or in sport and can’t just stop

You tried rest, physio or an injection and it keeps coming back

You want a clear plan and want to avoid surgery if possible, not another short-term quick fix

The Real Problem

Why Your Elbow Still Hurts After "Trying Everything"

Explore 4 slides on Tennis Elbow (Lateral Elbow Pain)

Most people have several of these happening at once. That’s why we assess the whole chain, from shoulder to grip, not just the painful spot.

OUR APPROACH

The Unpain 3-Part Tennis Elbow (Lateral Elbow Pain) Relief Program

INITIAL VISIT

Whole-Body Root-Cause Assessment

Detailed testing of your elbow, forearm, grip and shoulder mechanics

Identify which pain drivers matter most for your case

Written treatment plan with expected timelines and next steps

First 3 to 5 Weeks

Pain & Inflammation Modulation

Shockwave therapy to restart a healing response in the tendon

EMTT paired with shockwave to support tissue recovery

Soft tissue work to reduce forearm and elbow tension

Make gripping, lifting and daily tasks tolerable, fast.

5+ Weeks and Beyond

Strength & Progressive Aftercare

Progressive forearm and grip strengthening to rebuild tendon capacity

Shoulder and scapular exercises to reduce downstream loading

Guided return to sport, gym and work with flare management

What To Expect

What Results Can I Expect?

Every case is different, but research and our clinical experience consistently show:

Many patients notice improvement in pain and grip within a few weeks. With continued gains over several months as tendon capacity rebuilds.

Return to gripping, lifting, using tools and sport. Patients commonly report being able to do these without the same sharp pain.

Most people with tennis elbow do not need surgery. The right mix of education, load changes, exercise and advanced therapies can deliver lasting change.

Our promise: we will tell you honestly at the assessment if we don’t believe you’re a good candidate for this approach.

EVIDENCE

The Research Behind Our Approach

Exercise and load management programs have been shown to improve pain and function in tennis elbow over weeks and months compared to doing very little.

Short-term pain suppression strategies, such as some injections, can look best early but often show worse outcomes at 6 to 12 months in clinical trials.

Shockwave therapy has been shown to reduce pain and improve function in some tennis elbow patients when used with the right protocol and rehab.

Workload, gripping and forearm rotation at work play a major role in who develops and keeps tennis elbow, confirmed by meta-analyses of risk factors.

Shoulder blade muscle changes are common in people with tennis elbow, supporting a whole-limb assessment approach rather than treating only the elbow.

Outcomes are group averages from clinical trials; individual results vary.

See full references
  1. [1] Bisset L, Beller E, Jull G, Brooks P, Darnell R, Vicenzino B. Mobilisation with movement and exercise, corticosteroid injection, or wait and see for tennis elbow: randomised trial. BMJ. 2006.
  2. [2] Coombes BK, Bisset L, Brooks P, Khan A, Vicenzino B. Effect of corticosteroid injection, physiotherapy, or both on clinical outcomes in patients with unilateral lateral epicondylalgia: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2013.
  3. [3] Kraushaar BS, Nirschl RP. Tendinosis of the Elbow (Tennis Elbow): Clinical Features and Findings of Histological, Immunohistochemical, and Electron Microscopy Studies. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1999.
  4. [4] Nirschl RP, Pettrone FA. Tennis elbow. The surgical treatment of lateral epicondylitis. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1979.
  5. [5] Chen Q, Shen P, Zhang B, Chen Y, Zheng C. A meta-analysis of the risk factors for lateral epicondylitis. J Hand Ther. 2024;37(1):44–52.
  6. [6] Sayampanathan AA, Basha M, Mitra AK. Risk factors of lateral epicondylitis: A meta-analysis. Surgeon. 2020;18(2):122–128.
  7. [7] Work-relatedness of lateral epicondylitis: systematic review including meta-analysis and GRADE.
  8. [8] Day JM, Bush H, Nitz AJ, Uhl TL. Scapular muscle performance in individuals with lateral epicondylalgia. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2015;45(5):414–424.
  9. [9] Heales LJ, Bergin MJG, Vicenzino B, Hodges PW. Forearm Muscle Activity in Lateral Epicondylalgia: A Systematic Review with Quantitative Analysis. Sports Med. 2016;46(12):1833–1845.
  10. [10] Perveen W, et al. Effects of extracorporeal shockwave therapy versus ultrasonic therapy and deep friction massage in the management of lateral epicondylitis: a randomized clinical trial. Scientific Reports. 2024.
  11. [11] Kaplan S, Sah V, Ozkan S, Adanas C, Delen V. Comparative Effects of Focused and Radial Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapies on Lateral Epicondylitis: A Randomised Sham-controlled Trial. JCPSP. 2023.
  12. [12] Çorum M, et al. Comparison of the effectiveness of radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy and supervised exercises… randomized-controlled trial. Turk J Phys Med Rehab. 2021.
  13. [13] Capan N, et al. Radial Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy Is Not More Effective Than Placebo… Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2016;95(7):495–506.
  14. [14] Staples MP, et al. A randomized controlled trial of extracorporeal shock wave therapy for lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow). J Rheumatol. 2008;35(10):2038–2046.
  15. [15] Yang TH, et al. Efficacy of Radial ESWT… real-time sonoelastography: randomized controlled study. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2017;96(2):93–100.
  16. [16] Zhu P, et al. Comparison of extracorporeal shockwave therapy, ultrasound therapy, and corticosteroid injections for treatment of lateral epicondylitis: an umbrella review of meta-analyses. J Orthop Traumatol. 2025.
  17. [17] Fernández-Carnero J, et al. Immediate Hypoalgesic and Motor Effects After a Single Cervical Spine Manipulation in Subjects With Lateral Epicondylalgia. JMPT. 2008.
  18. [18] Olaussen M, et al. Corticosteroid or placebo injection combined with deep transverse friction massage, Mills manipulation, stretching and eccentric exercise for acute lateral epicondylitis: a randomised, controlled trial. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2015.
  19. [19] Alshahrani N, et al. Clinical and radiological effects of corticosteroid injection combined with deep transverse friction massage and Mill’s manipulation in lateral epicondylalgia. PLOS ONE. 2023.
  20. [20] Järvinen TAH. Neovascularisation in tendinopathy: from eradication to stabilisation? Br J Sports Med. 2020;54(1):1.
  21. [21] Electromagnetic transduction therapy and shockwave therapy in rotator cuff tendinopathy: prospective randomized controlled trial.
  22. [22] Krath A, et al. Electromagnetic transduction therapy in non-specific low back pain: a prospective randomised controlled trial. J Orthop. 2017;14(3):410–415.
  23. [23] EMTT tenocyte mechanistic study (emerging tendon-cell evidence). Int J Mol Sci. 2025;26(15):7122.
  24. [24] Tennis Elbow: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment Options. Unpain Clinic.
  25. [25] Shockwave Therapy for Elbow Pain Relief. Unpain Clinic.
  26. [26] How to Treat Tennis Elbow Injury in Edmonton. Unpain Clinic.
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  28. [28] Why Athletes & Pain Patients Choose EMTT in Edmonton. Unpain Clinic.

Tennis Elbow (Lateral Elbow Pain)FAQ

Here are answers to some of the most common questions about Tennis Elbow (Lateral Elbow Pain).

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Does shockwave therapy work for tennis elbow?

Research shows mixed but promising results. Some studies find shockwave improves pain and function, while others show similar changes in both real and sham groups. At Unpain Clinic, we use shockwave as part of a broader plan that includes load management and exercise. We review if it makes sense for you during your initial assessment.

What causes tennis elbow if I don’t play tennis?

Anything that repeatedly loads your grip and wrist extensor muscles can trigger it. That includes manual work, tools, typing with poor support, gym work or a sudden spike in a new activity. We look at your work, hobbies and recent changes to find the main drivers during your initial assessment.

How many sessions will I need?

Most patients need around three to five weekly visits when we combine shockwave, EMTT and exercises. Your exact plan depends on how long you have had pain, your work demands and your goals. We review this with you during your initial assessment.

Why does my tennis elbow keep coming back?

A common pattern is that pain settles, then you jump straight back into full gripping and lifting before the tendon is ready. If shoulder, grip and work factors don’t change, the same overload pattern repeats. Our plan focuses on rebuilding capacity and changing these drivers. We review this with you during your initial assessment.

Will I need imaging like ultrasound or MRI?

Many tennis elbow cases can be diagnosed based on your story and exam. Imaging can help if recovery doesn’t follow the expected path or if we suspect a different problem. If we think imaging would change your plan, we will explain why and help you with next steps. We map this out in your first visit.

Do I need surgery for tennis elbow?

Most people with tennis elbow do not need surgery. Many improve with the right mix of education, load changes, exercise and advanced therapies. Surgery is usually considered only after a good trial of non-surgical care. We review where you are in that journey during your initial assessment.

YOUR NEXT STEP

Ready to See What’s Actually Driving Your Elbow Pain?

Stop guessing, stop collecting random treatments, and get a plan that treats the system, not just the elbow.

Initial Tennis Elbow (Lateral Elbow Pain) Assessment — Edmonton

60-minute one-on-one session. Here’s what’s included:

1

Full assessment of your elbow, forearm, grip, shoulder and key movements

2

Identify which pain drivers matter for your case

3

Review of your history and any imaging you bring

4

Clear written plan with transparent pricing before you commit

No referral needed. No obligation to continue beyond the first visit.

No pressure, no contracts.

We will tell you honestly at the assessment if we don't believe you're a good candidate for this approach. If your condition needs something different, we'll refer you directly.

Related Resources

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