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    musculoskeletal

    Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)

    Also known as: tennis elbow, lateral epicondylitis, lateral elbow tendinopathy, lateral epicondylalgia

    Tennis elbow is overload of the forearm extensor tendons. Load management and progressive exercise are first-line care; acupuncture has reasonable short-term evidence for pain, and Chinese medicine treats it as local channel obstruction, Cold-Damp or Blood stasis.

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    Lifestyle & Diet

    • •Reduce aggravating gripping and lifting, but keep the arm moving.
    • •Progressive strengthening of the wrist extensors is the main treatment.
    • •A counterforce brace may ease pain during activity.
    • •Most cases settle within a year.

    Cautions & Contraindications

    See sources
    • •Avoid needling into the joint capsule or ulnar nerve region at the medial elbow.[]
    • •Exclude fracture or nerve injury before treating as tendinopathy.[]

    When to reassess or seek care again

    See sources

    Track pain-free grip and pain (0–10) every 4 weeks. Refer if no improvement after 3 months.

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    Sources & Further Reading

    Clinical guidance, red flags and safety notes on this page draw on the following current sources alongside the classical references above.

    1. Tennis elbow — Healthdirect
      Healthdirect Australia · 2024
    2. Tennis elbow — NICE CKS
      NICE · 2023
    3. Green et al. — Acupuncture for lateral elbow pain (Cochrane)
      Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2002
    4. Chinese medicine practitioner safety standards
      AHPRA / Chinese Medicine Board of Australia · 2024

    Educational reference for licensed practitioners. Not a substitute for individual clinical assessment. Refer to conventional care for any red-flag or undiagnosed presentation.