The Movement Doc of Texas
Elbow Pain Treatment in New Braunfels, TX
Tennis elbow, golfer's elbow and the pain that flares every time you grip a bar, a racket or a tool. Elbow tendon pain is stubborn, but it responds well to the right kind of load.
- 90-minute first visit
- No referral to start
- Plan the same day
Most elbow pain is tendon pain, and tendons do not recover by resting until the pain goes away. They improve when they are loaded in a way they can tolerate and gradually asked to do more. The neck, shoulder, wrist and grip all feed into the elbow, and they are part of the assessment.
What We See Most
The common patterns, and what each one behaves like.
Pain on the outside of the elbow when you grip, lift a coffee cup or shake hands. Pain on the inside of the elbow with pull-ups, curls, golf swings or throwing. A sore forearm after a day using tools or a mouse. Pain at the front of the elbow with heavy pulling. Stiffness after an elbow fracture or surgery.
Tendon pain and nerve irritation at the elbow can feel similar, especially with tingling into the hand, so the first visit sorts out which one is driving your symptoms.
Frequently involved
- Outside-of-elbow pain (tennis elbow)
- Inside-of-elbow pain (golfer's elbow)
- Throwing and overhead athlete elbow pain
- Biceps and triceps tendon pain at the elbow
- Ulnar nerve irritation
- Rehab after elbow fracture or surgery
The Assessment
What a 90-minute first visit actually covers
History that matters
What you grip, lift, throw or type, and what changed before it started. Tendon pain almost always follows a change in load.
Neck and shoulder screen
Pain around the elbow can be referred from the neck, and a weak shoulder puts more demand on the forearm. Both are checked.
Provocation testing
Resisted wrist, finger and elbow testing, and the specific grip or lift that hurts for you, to find how much load the tendon tolerates right now.
Hands-on the same day
Soft tissue work through the forearm flexors and extensors and into the upper arm and shoulder, to settle things enough to start loading. You get treated at the first visit, not booked in for it.
A program you leave with
An exercise starting point that loads the tendon without flaring it, and practical changes to grip, tools and training you can make straight away.
Treatment
Load the tendon; don't just rest it.
Early on, the aim is to settle symptoms enough to load: dry needling through the forearm muscles, instrument-assisted soft tissue work where tissue sensitivity is limiting grip, and adjustments to how you hold bars, tools and rackets. Complete rest tends to help briefly and then leave the tendon weaker.
The long-term fix is progressive tendon loading, combined with strength work for the shoulder and upper back so the elbow is not doing more than its share, all done in our full facility. Blood flow restriction training builds forearm and arm strength when heavier loads still hurt, and lifters and CrossFit athletes keep training around it — see CrossFit physical therapy.
Getting started
A 90-minute evaluation is $185. You leave with a plan the same day, not a follow-up appointment to hear the results.
Optional add-on: upper body VALD testing measures grip and shoulder strength side against side, for a separate $200 fee. It is not part of the evaluation. It is most useful for throwers, lifters and anyone heading back to sport.
In-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield, out-of-network with superbills for other plans, HSA and FSA accepted. Details on the pricing page.
FAQs
Common questions
Should I get a cortisone injection for tennis elbow?
Injections can reduce pain in the short term, but studies have found that longer-term results are often no better, and sometimes worse, than a graded exercise approach. That is a decision to make with your physician; physical therapy focuses on the loading that addresses the tendon itself.
Do I need to stop lifting or playing?
Usually not. Most people can keep training with changes to grip, load and the exercises that provoke it. We work out what you can keep doing while the tendon settles.
How long does tennis elbow take to get better?
Elbow tendon pain is often slow, commonly several weeks to a few months with consistent loading, and longer when it has been there a long time. Measurable strength targets make it clear whether it is moving in the right direction.
Do you take my insurance?
We are in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield. For all other insurers we are out-of-network: you pay at the time of service and we provide a CMS-1500 superbill to submit for possible reimbursement. HSA and FSA cards are accepted.
Do I need a referral for physical therapy in Texas?
Not to get started. Texas Direct Access lets you begin physical therapy without a physician referral for the first month of care. After that month a referral is required to continue, and we coordinate with your provider to get one.
Ready to grip without wincing?
Start with a free 15-minute consultation, or book the evaluation and get an answer the same day.
“Alisha is top notch! I've had issues with my knee, hip, back, shoulder and now elbow/wrist. She's been more than helpful with working on each issue. Giving me movements that'll challenge me but would also make me progress.”
— Cody C., Google review
- Doctors of Physical Therapy
- Board-certified orthopedic specialists
- Fellowship-trained in manual therapy
- $185 evaluation · every price published