Elbow Supportive Therapy

Elbow supportive therapy services offered in Buffalo, NY

The elbow joint is commonly affected by sports and work-related overuse. Tennis and golfer’s elbow are the most common conditions arising from such overuse. In the tennis elbow condition, the tendons on the outside of the elbow generally tear with forceful repetitive pulling and gripping actions that involve wrist and finger extension. Repetitive fine motions of the wrist and fingers with keyboarding and mouse use are also risk factors. Golfer’s elbow tendon injury is seen on the inside of the elbow and is a product of repetitive swinging, gripping, and pushing motions that involve wrist and finger flexion. Weakness of the core and larger arm and leg muscles are often at the root of elbow overuse. The pain can come from osteoarthritis, overused tendons, and nerves that run through the elbow and are susceptible to chronic stress.

request an appointment

Diagnostic Tools

A thorough examination is conducted on every patient. Dr. Kaplan’s osteopathic training allows him to diagnose joint instability and potential tears that can be a source of previously undiagnosed pain. Structural deficits, restrictions, as well as muscle weakness and imbalances are identified. X-rays and state-of-the-art ultrasound technology are used for the diagnosis of structural joint and surrounding tissue problems. Advanced imaging techniques such as MRI are frequently used for further assessment.

Manual Exam

X-Ray

Ultrasound

MRI

What to know before you go

Elbow joint and tendon problems are a common source of wrist and shoulder pain. A combination of ligamentous instability, cartilage degeneration, and joint inflammation is typically the underlying cause. OWM Integrative Wellness offers cutting-edge effective treatments including dextrose prolotherapy, PRP, stem cell, and peptide therapy to help the elbow region heal naturally.

Treatment

Frequently, the injured area of the elbow is a victim of underlying instability. Dr. Kaplan utilizes the Hacket and Hamwell Method to treat the entire elbow ligament-tendon complex to promote joint stabilization and tendon repair. Unlike a more commonly used target-specific approach where just the tendon that hurts is injected, our technique restores stability to the areas around the injury. This not only allows for better healing of painful areas but prevents the recurrence of the breakdown of the area in the future. Concentrated dextrose solution is the first line of our regenerative treatments. When injected around the ligaments and tendons of the elbow, it promotes ligament regeneration and small tendon tear repair. PRP (platelet-rich plasma) is a stronger cellular treatment. It promotes torn tendon regeneration and repair of worn ligaments. PRP Prolotherapy technique is used in more advanced tendon and ligament tears. It directly delivers growth factors in the damaged tissue and activates a signaling mechanism that stimulates the body’s stem cell production and recruitment to the site of injury. Repair and new tissue growth occur quickly and naturally. Stem Cell therapy is the most advanced regenerative technique available. Stem cells are extracted from either the bone marrow or fat and are immediately reinjected into the injured areas of the shoulder. Direct delivery of mesenchymal stem cells into the affected shoulder area allows for repair by the growth of new healthy tissue. Dr. Kaplan’s in-depth knowledge of peptide therapy allows him to stimulate repair and regeneration with specifically selected peptides. Tissue-repairing peptides BPC and Thymosin beta 4 are used in the injection solutions and CJC/ Ipamorellin is often used to stimulate stem cell activity before the procedure. These peptides stimulate and enhance, Dextrose prolotherapy, PRP, and Stem cell regenerative potential.

Safety

The ultrasound-guided approach ensures the accurate and safe placement of regenerative solutions directly into the shoulder joint and surrounding injured tissues. Dr. Kaplan uses solutions that are natural and extremely well-tolerated.