Tennis Elbow and Golfer's Elbow Treatment in Dakota Dunes

Despite the names, you don't have to play tennis or golf to get either one. Both are overload problems in the tendons that attach your forearm muscles to your elbow.

• Tennis elbow (lateral elbow pain) affects the outside of the elbow. It usually hurts when you grip, lift with your palm down, turn a doorknob, or shake hands.
• Golfer's elbow (medial elbow pain) affects the inside of the elbow. It often hurts when you grip, lift with your palm up, or swing.

People commonly notice:

• Pain that spreads into the forearm
• A weaker grip, or dropping things
• Pain with everyday tasks like carrying a coffee mug, typing, or using tools
• Stiffness in the morning

We see this a lot in tradespeople, office workers, parents hauling car seats, and, yes, golfers and racquet players.

Your hands are busy all day, so the forearm tendons rarely get a true rest. Braces, ice, and time off can calm things down, but the pain often comes back as soon as you return to work or your sport.

The elbow also tends to take the blame for the wrist, the shoulder, and your grip. Stiff shoulder mechanics, poor wrist position, or a swing that leans on the forearm can keep overloading those tendons. Finding that pattern matters as much as treating the sore spot.

At FreeMVMT, we use an OmniWave focused shockwave device. It directs acoustic sound waves into the irritated tendon, creating a controlled stimulus that is thought to signal your body to restart its own repair process, including improved circulation and tissue rebuilding.

It's a non-surgical, drug-free option with no injections. We won't promise a guaranteed result, since everyone heals differently, but we will build a plan that treats the tendon and the movement habits behind it.

Most shockwave research on the elbow has focused on tennis elbow.

• In a randomized, double-blind trial, people who'd had tennis elbow for at least six months and received three weekly low-dose shockwave sessions were more likely to have their pain cut at least in half at 12 weeks than people given a sham treatment [1].
• A 2026 network meta-analysis comparing shockwave types found low-energy focused shockwave ranked best for longer-term pain relief and did better than sham at six months [2].
• A meta-analysis found shockwave did better than a steroid injection at three and six months, with only mild side effects [3].
• A review of upper-limb tendon problems, including tennis elbow, reported that shockwave may help relieve pain with a low rate of side effects [4].

Golfer's elbow is the same kind of overload problem on the inside of the elbow, and we use the same assess, treat, and retrain approach for it.

1. Assessment. We talk about your work, your sport, and what aggravates your elbow. We check your wrist, elbow, and shoulder, and use Kinetisense 3D motion analysis to measure range of motion. For golfers, Kinetisense can also look at swing mechanics.
2. OmniWave session. Focused shockwave is applied to the painful tendon. Most people feel pressure or mild discomfort, and we adjust the intensity to your comfort.
3. Your plan. Most plans involve several sessions spaced about a week apart, with simple changes to how you grip, lift, or swing so the tendon isn't constantly overloaded.

Shockwave is generally not recommended during pregnancy, or for people with certain blood clotting conditions or a pacemaker. We'll review your health history first.

Please see a physician first if your elbow pain started with a fall or a sudden injury, if you can't straighten or bend your elbow, if there's significant swelling, redness, warmth, or fever, or if you have numbness or tingling into your fingers or a weakness that's getting worse.

FreeMVMT is at 330 Dakota Dunes Blvd Ste 400 in Dakota Dunes, SD. We see patients from Dakota Dunes, Sioux City, IA, South Sioux City, NE, North Sioux City, SD, and the wider tri-state area. If your elbow is getting in the way of your work, your swing, or your day, let's figure out why.

Do I need a referral?
No. You can book shockwave therapy at FreeMVMT without a referral.

Is shockwave covered by insurance?
No. Shockwave therapy is self-pay. We'll walk you through the cost and what to expect before you begin.

Does shockwave hurt on the elbow?
Most patients feel pressure or mild discomfort during treatment. We adjust the intensity based on your comfort.

Can I keep working or golfing?
Often, yes, with some changes. After your assessment we'll decide how much activity is right while the tendon recovers.

Book an assessment or call 605-217-2100.

1. Pettrone FA, McCall BR. (2005). Extracorporeal shock wave therapy without local anesthesia for chronic lateral epicondylitis. J Bone Joint Surg Am 87(6):1297-1304. PubMed 15930540 · doi:10.2106/JBJS.C.01356
2. Jin R, Wang H, Lv W, et al. (2026). Comparison of the efficacy of different types and intensities of extracorporeal shock wave therapy for lateral epicondylitis: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. J Orthop Surg Res 21(1):435. PubMed 42177532 · doi:10.1186/s13018-026-06984-0
3. Zhang L, Zhang X, Pang L, et al. (2024). Extracorporeal shock wave therapy versus local corticosteroid injection for chronic lateral epicondylitis: a systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Orthop Surg 16(11):2598-2607. PubMed 39198038 · doi:10.1111/os.14212
4. Xiong Y, Wen T, Jin S, et al. (2024). Efficacy and safety of extracorporeal shock wave therapy for upper limb tendonitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Front Med (Lausanne) 11:1394268. PubMed 39139789 · doi:10.3389/fmed.2024.1394268