I hurt my elbow while practicing tennis.
symptom
A man in his 40s came to the clinic after injuring his right elbow during tennis practice, as the symptoms had not improved after about a week. He experienced throbbing pain in his right elbow even when doing nothing, and the pain intensified when he tried to lift objects. This was particularly interfering with his work, especially when lifting heavy objects at his desk. Upon initial examination, a clear difference in stiffness was observed in his right arm from the elbow to the wrist compared to his left arm, and the pain worsened during elbow flexion. In addition, he was experiencing muscle-tightness pain in his forearm along with the elbow pain.
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Visitors
Male
40's
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Period
June 2025
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Visit Frequency per week
2 - 3
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Number of Visits
2
Treatment and progress
During the first treatment, acupuncture was performed on points on the back to relieve tension around the elbow, which reduced pain during flexion. Further treatment was then performed on points on the arm to relieve tension in the forearm. After the treatment, the tension in the arm during palpation was noticeably different to both the practitioner and the patient, and pain during flexion and when holding objects also decreased. At the second visit, the patient reported that the pain had disappeared, although some pain reappeared when playing tennis. Therefore, the same treatment was performed again to alleviate the symptoms. Based on the patient's condition during the treatment, it was determined that rest was also necessary for recovery to the point where they could play normally, and this was communicated to the patient.
Acupressure points used
Summary
In a case of right elbow pain caused by tennis, treatment of acupressure points on the back and arm resulted in improvement after two sessions. After the first session, the pain disappeared during daily activities, and after the second session, the patient recovered to the point where they could participate in sports activities. A notable feature of this treatment was that the symptoms were effectively alleviated by using acupressure points on the back, rather than directly addressing the tension around the elbow. Furthermore, acupressure points on the arm also had an effective effect on forearm tension, and a clear change was confirmed by palpation. This case suggests that a combination of treatment and appropriate rest is important in sports injuries.
