Tennis Elbow Guide: Why Resting It Rarely Works

27 Aug 2026 | Pain Management, Rehabilitation, Sports Injuries

Elbow pain has a habit of dragging on for months when it’s handled the wrong way. Most people don’t need surgery, scans, or months off.

What they need is a clear plan.

There is usually a great deal you can do for elbow pain before pills, injections or surgery ever come into the picture. The problem is that most people are never shown what — so the same habits repeat, and the pain keeps coming back.

I’ve put the approach I use with clients into a free guide you can work through at home.

7 Simple, Natural Ways to Ease Elbow Pain — free PDF guide from AG Injury Rehabilitation, Wigan

Free download · PDF

7 Simple, Natural Ways to Ease Elbow Pain

The same principles I use every day with active people who want to get back to their sport — and stay there:

  • Keep it moving — gentle movement beats total rest
  • Build strength in the tendon and the whole arm
  • Get your sleep and setup right
  • Manage your load — don’t just avoid it
  • Understand your pain — and why it isn’t always damage
  • Use heat, movement and hands-on work for short-term relief
  • Get a proper assessment rather than guessing







    When to get checked urgently

    Most elbow pain is not dangerous, but please seek prompt medical advice if any of the following apply: the elbow looks out of shape or you can’t move it after a significant fall or injury; there is severe pain, marked swelling or bruising after a trauma; the joint is hot and swollen and you feel unwell or feverish; or you have numbness, pins and needles or weakness spreading into the hand. These are uncommon, but they need checking promptly.

    Want your elbow looked at properly?

    The guide gives you a strong start, but nothing beats a proper look at your elbow, your sport and your goals. That’s what the Free Discovery Session is for — a relaxed, no-obligation chance to tell me what’s been going on and find out whether AG Injury Rehabilitation is the right fit, before you commit to anything.

    Because I work one-to-one, only a small number are available each month. Book yours here.

    Amy Garratt, BSc qualified sports rehabilitator at AG Injury Rehabilitation in Wigan

    Written by

    Amy Garratt – BSc Sports Rehabilitator

    Amy is a degree-qualified sports rehabilitator based in Wigan, specialising in musculoskeletal assessment, injury rehabilitation and sport-specific recovery. She founded AG Injury Rehabilitation to provide expert, one-to-one rehabilitation care for athletes and active individuals.

    More about Amy

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    Suffering From This Injury?

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