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Conditions We Treat

Tennis Elbow Pain Relief
in San Mateo

You don't have to play tennis to get tennis elbow — and rest alone rarely fixes it. We treat the tendon overload actually behind your pain, so it stops coming back.

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✓ 91+ Five-Star Reviews
✓ No Drugs or Surgery
✓ 16+ Years Treating Tennis Elbow & Forearm Pain
✓ Serving San Mateo Since 2010
Tennis Elbow

Not about tennis —
about tendon overload

Tennis elbow — the clinical term is lateral epicondylitis — is one of the most common, and most misunderstood, overuse injuries we see at High Amplitude Health. Despite the name, most patients we treat for it have never picked up a racket — for a lot of them, it's hours of texting and scrolling on a smartphone. It's really a tendon overuse condition: repetitive gripping and wrist-extending movements — typing, using tools, lifting, even carrying a bag the same way every day — gradually overload the tendon on the outer elbow where the forearm muscles attach, causing pain, weak grip strength, and a tenderness that's easy to point to but hard to shake on your own.

Tennis elbow keeps coming back almost always for two reasons working together: technique or movement patterns that keep overloading the tendon, and incomplete soft-tissue healing that leaves scar tissue and adhesions behind in the forearm muscles. Rest alone quiets the pain temporarily, but it doesn't resolve either of those — which is why so many patients tell us it "goes away and comes right back" every time they return to normal activity.

Our approach leads with myofascial therapy and Active Release Technique to release the tight forearm extensor muscles actually pulling on the tendon, paired with exercise therapy to rebuild the tendon's capacity and correct the movement pattern driving the recurrence — a non-surgical tennis elbow treatment path that starts working from your very first visit.

If your elbow pain came on suddenly with a specific injury, or you have numbness or tingling running down into your hand, that's a different situation worth a closer look first, and we'll tell you plainly at your first visit if that's the case.

Tennis player lunging for a low shot — a classic overuse motion behind tennis elbow — High Amplitude Health in San Mateo
Drug-Free Relief
Myofascial Therapy · ART · Exercise Therapy
How We Treat It

A complete approach for
lasting tennis elbow relief

⟳
Myofascial & trigger point therapy
Sustained pressure on the forearm extensor muscles releases the chronic tightness pulling on the elbow tendon — often the single biggest lever for pain that keeps returning no matter how much you rest it.
Particularly effective for the deep, aching tightness that runs down the forearm alongside the sharper pain at the elbow itself.
◈
Active Release Technique (ART)
ART targets the scar tissue and adhesions that build up in the overworked forearm extensor tendon — restoring normal tissue glide and taking direct pressure off the irritated attachment point at the elbow.
Often the fastest route to relief for tennis elbow that has lingered for months without fully resolving.
◇
Exercise therapy & rehabilitation
Eccentric strengthening and grip work rebuild the tendon's capacity to handle load, correcting the underlying weakness that lets everyday gripping and lifting keep re-irritating it.
This is the step that makes results last — without it, the same overload tends to bring the pain back.
▷
Assisted stretch therapy
Guided, hands-on stretching releases forearm and wrist tightness more effectively than stretching alone — directly reducing the tension pulling on the elbow tendon.
We'll also show you specific forearm and wrist stretches to keep up on your own between visits.
◎
Not a spinal problem
Tennis elbow is a tendon overload issue, not a spinal alignment issue — so an adjustment isn't the tool that fixes it. Most of the tennis elbow we see resolves through soft-tissue and movement-based work alone.
A common relief for patients who assumed "seeing a chiropractor" meant getting cracked and adjusted.
▸
Percussion therapy
Targeted vibration calms an overactive, guarded forearm before deeper manual work begins — useful when the tendon is too tender for direct pressure right away.
Particularly helpful during an acute flare-up, before transitioning into deeper tissue work.
Who It Helps

What's really behind
your tennis elbow?

Most tennis elbow we see doesn't come from tennis at all — it comes from repetitive gripping and wrist strain building up over time. Here are the causes we treat most often.

01

Repetitive gripping & wrist extension

Any activity that repeatedly grips or extends the wrist — typing, using hand tools, lifting weights, even shaking hands all day — gradually overloads the tendon at the outer elbow. This is the single most common driver of tennis elbow we see, with no racket involved at all.

02

Technique faults in racket sports

A backhand that leads with the wrist instead of the shoulder, or a grip that's too tight, puts repeated strain directly on the outer elbow tendon — the classic tennis-specific cause, and one we address with movement coaching alongside hands-on treatment.

03

Desk & computer work

Hours of mouse use and typing create constant low-grade tension in the same forearm muscles used for gripping — a slow-building overuse pattern that often surprises patients who don't consider themselves "at risk."

04

Smartphone use & texting

Hours a day spent gripping a phone with the wrist bent and thumbs working overtime adds up to the same kind of repetitive strain as a desk job or a racket sport — one of the most common, and most overlooked, contributors we see.

05

Manual labor & weightlifting

Trades work, gardening, and lifting — especially with a pronated grip — place high, repeated demand on the forearm extensors, making tennis elbow common well outside of sports.

06

Scar tissue from a previous flare-up

When a past episode of tennis elbow doesn't fully heal, it can leave adhesions in the forearm tendon that make the area more vulnerable to re-injury — which is why it often "comes back" even after the original pain fades.

07

Golfer's elbow (the mirror-image condition)

The same overuse pattern on the inside of the elbow, affecting the wrist-flexor tendons instead. It responds to the same core treatment approach — releasing the overworked forearm muscles and rebuilding tendon capacity.

08

Forearm & wrist tightness

The elbow doesn't work in isolation — chronic tightness throughout the forearm and wrist increases the baseline tension on the tendon, making it more likely to become irritated under normal, everyday use.

09

Longstanding, chronic cases

Tennis elbow that's lingered for several months has usually shifted from acute inflammation to a tougher, degenerative tendon change — it still responds well to treatment, but typically needs a more sustained plan to fully resolve.

You don't have to
live with this pain.

Most patients with tennis elbow notice meaningful improvement within just a few visits. Dr. John will identify exactly what's driving your pain — and fix it at the source, not just the surface.

3–6
Average sessions to resolution
91+
Five-star Google reviews

Serving San Mateo, Burlingame, Foster City, Redwood City, Belmont & surrounding areas since 2010.

Book Your First Visit →
What to Expect

What your first
visit looks like

Starting care somewhere new can feel like an unknown. Here's exactly what happens when you come in for tennis elbow — no surprises, no pressure.

01

What's actually loading your elbow

Before any hands-on work, Dr. John talks through what you do day to day — your grip, your work, your sport, your desk setup — to pinpoint the repetitive motion that's overloading the tendon, whether or not a racket is involved.

02

A hands-on assessment & grip testing

Dr. John checks forearm and wrist tightness, tests your grip strength, and identifies the specific tendon and muscle pattern driving your pain — not just where it hurts, but what's actually causing it.

03

Hands-on care from day one

If your evaluation points to a clear, treatable cause — tendon overload, tight forearm muscles, or scar tissue from an old flare-up — we typically begin care at your first visit rather than sending you home with just a diagnosis.

04

A realistic return-to-activity timeline

You'll leave knowing what we found, what we recommend, and a realistic timeline for getting back to full grip strength and activity — so you can decide with real information, not guesswork.

About Dr. John Blenio

16 years treating
tennis elbow & tendon pain

Dr. John Blenio has treated tennis elbow — lateral epicondylitis, clinically — in San Mateo patients for over 16 years, from desk workers and tradespeople with repetitive-strain overuse to tennis and pickleball players managing a stubborn, recurring flare. His approach combines myofascial therapy, Active Release Therapy, and corrective exercise into one integrated plan.

Tennis elbow is rarely just a "rest it and it'll heal" problem. It's usually a combination of tight forearm muscles, incomplete tendon healing, and a movement pattern that keeps reloading the same spot — which is why Dr. John addresses the whole forearm and grip mechanics at your first visit rather than treating the elbow in isolation.

Whether your tennis elbow came from the court, the job site, or a desk, the goal is the same: find the true cause, correct it with hands-on care, and give you the tools to keep it from coming back.

✓
Myofascial & Soft-Tissue Specialist — Upper Extremity 16+ years assessing and correcting forearm and grip mechanics
✓
ART Certified — Upper Extremity Targeting forearm, wrist, and tendon restrictions
✓
Corrective Exercise & Rehab Specialist Grip and technique retraining to prevent recurrence
Dr. John Blenio — Tennis Elbow Specialist, High Amplitude Health San Mateo
Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about
tennis elbow

Do I need an X-ray or MRI before you can treat my tennis elbow? +
Not usually. Tennis elbow is a soft-tissue and tendon condition that Dr. John can identify through a hands-on evaluation and a few simple strength tests alone. Imaging is really only needed if something about your case looks like it could be a fracture or a more significant joint issue — which is uncommon — and he'll tell you plainly if that's the case.
What's causing my tennis elbow if I don't even play tennis? +
Despite the name, most tennis elbow — clinically, lateral epicondylitis — has nothing to do with tennis. Any repetitive gripping or wrist-extending motion — typing, using tools, lifting, even carrying a bag the same way every day — can overload the forearm tendons at the outer elbow the same way a bad backhand does.
Can chiropractic care help tennis elbow? +
Yes — but not primarily through adjustments. Tennis elbow is a forearm tendon and muscle problem, not a spinal alignment problem, so adjustments aren't the tool that resolves it. What actually works is releasing the tight, overworked forearm extensor muscles pulling on the tendon through myofascial therapy and Active Release Technique, paired with exercise therapy to rebuild the tendon's capacity so it stops re-injuring under normal use.
What's the difference between tennis elbow and golfer's elbow? +
They're the same overuse mechanism on opposite sides of the elbow. Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) affects the tendons on the outside of the elbow that extend the wrist; golfer's elbow (medial epicondylitis) affects the tendons on the inside that flex the wrist. Both respond to the same core approach — releasing the overworked forearm muscles and rebuilding tendon capacity with targeted exercise.
Why does my tennis elbow keep coming back after I've rested it? +
Rest alone calms the pain but doesn't fix what caused it. Tennis elbow keeps coming back almost always for two reasons: a technique or movement pattern that keeps overloading the tendon, and scar tissue or adhesions left behind in the forearm muscles from incomplete healing. Address only one of those and it tends to resurface as soon as you go back to normal activity.
How quickly will my tennis elbow improve? +
Many patients notice less pain and better grip strength within the first couple of visits. Because tendon tissue rebuilds more slowly than muscle, a stubborn or long-standing case typically takes a bit longer to fully resolve, but most patients see meaningful progress within 3–6 sessions.
I've tried a brace, ice, and rest without much luck — can you help? +
Often, yes. A brace and rest can reduce symptoms temporarily, but they don't address the tight forearm muscles and scar tissue actually driving the problem, or retrain the technique that overloaded the tendon in the first place. Active Release Therapy and targeted exercise go after both of those directly.
Is treatment for tennis elbow painful? +
There are no chiropractic adjustments involved in treating tennis elbow here. Active Release Therapy and myofascial work on the tight forearm muscles can produce a "hurts good" sensation as the tissue releases, but pressure is always adjusted to your comfort level, and we communicate throughout treatment.
Do you need to adjust or crack my elbow to fix this? +
No. We don't use chiropractic adjustments to treat tennis elbow. Relief comes from releasing the forearm muscles and tendon actually causing the pain through myofascial therapy, Active Release Technique, and targeted exercise — not from manipulating the elbow joint itself.
Can I keep playing tennis, golfing, or lifting while being treated? +
In most cases, yes, with some short-term modification. Dr. John will tell you plainly at your first visit whether your case needs a brief activity pullback or whether you can keep training around it, and he'll give you a realistic timeline for getting back to full, pain-free activity.

Tennis elbow doesn't have to
keep coming back.

Join hundreds of San Mateo patients who've found lasting relief from tennis elbow — without drugs, injections, or surgery — using Dr. John's hands-on, root-cause approach.

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Or call / text us: 650-735-1716