Tennis elbow (also known as lateral epicondylitis) is a condition that produces severe, burning pain over the bone at the side of the elbow. The pain results from inflammation of the tendon that attaches muscle to the bony projection (called the epicondyle) on the outside of the elbow.

Tennis elbow usually begins with mild pain and can worsen over time. The pain is worsened by pressing on the affected area, by lifting objects particularly with extension of the wrist. Using a screwdriver can worsen the injury and cause pain. In advanced cases, even simple movements of the elbow joint can produce pain.

While tennis elbow affects many people who participate in racquet sports, most people who develop tennis elbow do not play racquet sports. Work activities that involve frequent use of the forearm muscles, such as painting, plumbing, DIY or knitting are also associated with the development of tennis elbow.

Chiropractors are required by the General Chiropractic Council, the regulating body for chiropractic in the UK, to take a thorough history and carry out a physical examination of every patient, in order to form an appropriate diagnosis and to determine if the patient would benefit from chiropractic care. If the chiropractor identifies a patient who cannot be helped by chiropractic care, normal practice would be to refer the patient to the most appropriate healthcare practitioner for further consultation.

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