Tennis Elbow
Doctors first identified Tennis Elbow (or lateral epicondylitis) more than 100 years ago. Today nearly half of all tennis players will suffer from this disorder at some point. Interestingly though, tennis players actually account for less than 5 percent of all reported cases.
What is Tennis Elbow?
Tennis Elbow is the inflammation and degeneration of the common extensor tendon of the forearm that attaches to the outside part (lateral epicondyle) of the humerus bone at the elbow.. What causes Tennis Elbow?
Tennis Elbow is the most common injury in patients seeking medical attention with the complaint of elbow pain. The inflammation in the extensor tendon of the forearm muscles is caused by prolonged gripping such as driving, racket sports or even using a hammer. The inflammation and pain associated with tennis elbow is due to tiny tears in a part of the tendon and in muscle coverings. After the initial injury heals, these areas often tear again, which leads to hemorrhaging and the formation of rough, granulated tissue and calcium deposits within the surrounding tissues. Collagen, a protein, leaks out from around the injured areas, causing inflammation. The resulting pressure can cut off the blood flow and pinch the radial nerve, one of the major nerves controlling muscles in the arm and hand.
Symptoms Of Tennis Elbow
Symptoms include pain associated with wrist and gripping activities on the outside of the upper forearm just below the bend of the elbow and occasionally this pain radiates down the arm toward the wrist. There is difficulty extending the forearm fully (because of inflamed muscles, tendons and ligaments). Pain typically lasts for 6 to 12 weeks and the discomfort can continue for as little as 3 weeks or as long as several years.
If you feel pain directly on the back of your elbow joint, rather than down the outside of your arm, you may have bursitis, which is caused when lubricating sacs in the joint become inflamed. If you see swelling, which is almost never a symptom of tennis elbow, you may want to investigate other possible conditions, such as arthritis, infection, gout or a tumor
What treatments are available for Tennis Elbow?
Things you can do yourself
- The best way to relieve tennis elbow is to stop doing anything that irritates your arm
- Rest your arm until the pain disappears
- Use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication like aspirin or ibuprofen for most mild to moderate cases of tennis elbow. This will help address the inflammation and the pain while you are resting the injury, and then you can follow up with exercise and massage to speed healing
- Massage to relieve stress and tension in the muscles
- Exercise to strengthen the area and prevent re-injury. Be sure to warm up your arm for at least 5 to 10 minutes with gentle stretching and movement before starting any activity, and take frequent breaks
- Strapping a band around your forearm 10 centimetres below your elbow.
Rehabilitation Treatments
Physiotherapy treatment including:
- Myofascial release of the forearm extensors (especially extensor carpi radialus brevis)
- Cross frictions to the tendon
- Acupuncture
- Electrotherapy
- Neural (radial) and extensor muscle stretches
- Progressive conditioning exercises
- Corticosteroid injections for stubborn cases of tennis elbow. These dramatically reduce inflammation, but they cannot be used long-term because of potentially damaging side effects
- If rest, anti-inflammatory medications, and a stretching routine fail to cure your tennis elbow, you may have to consider surgery, though this form of treatment is rare (fewer than 3 percent of patients).