About tennis elbow
What is tennis elbow?
Tennis elbow facts
- Tennis elbow is tendinitis of the outer elbow.
- Strain of an elbow tendon causes tennis elbow.
- Risks of tennis elbow include activities that can strain the elbow.
- Tennis elbow symptoms include dull pain and tenderness at the outer elbow often with a sensation of weakness and stiffness.
- A physician uses a patient's history and physical examination to diagnose tennis elbow.
- The standard treatment for tennis elbow involves measures to reduce the local inflammation.
- The prognosis for tennis elbow is excellent.
- It's possible to prevent tennis elbow by avoiding activities that strain the elbow.
What is tennis elbow?
Tennis elbow is inflammation of the tendon at the outer portion of the elbow, leading to pain. Classically, tennis elbow is a strain injury to this tendon from hitting a backhand shot at tennis. The medical term for tennis elbow is lateral epicondylitis because it involves inflammation at the insertion point of the tendon at the outer portion of the humerus bone at the elbow joint (the epicondyle). Most people with lateral epicondylitis actually acquire it from activities other than playing tennis.
In contrast, when the tendon that attaches at the inner portion of the elbow is inflamed, the condition is referred to as medial epicondylitis (or "golfer's elbow" because golfers commonly injure this area after striking the ground to take a deep divot).
What are the symptoms for tennis elbow?
Pain or burning on the outer part of your elbow symptom was found in the tennis elbow condition
The Pain associated with tennis elbow may radiate from the outside of your elbow into your forearm and wrist. Pain and Weakness may make it difficult to:
- Shake hands or grip an object
- Turn a doorknob
- Hold a coffee cup
When to see a doctor
Talk to your doctor if self-care steps such as rest, ice and use of over-the-counter Pain relievers don't ease your Elbow Pain and tenderness.
What are the causes for tennis elbow?
Tennis elbow is an overuse and muscle strain injury. The cause is repeated contraction of the forearm muscles that you use to straighten and raise your hand and wrist. The repeated motions and stress to the tissue may result in a series of tiny tears in the tendons that attach the forearm muscles to the bony prominence at the outside of your elbow.
As the name suggests, playing tennis — especially repeated use of the backhand stroke with poor technique — is one possible cause of tennis elbow. However, many other common arm motions can cause tennis elbow, including:
- Using plumbing tools
- Painting
- Driving screws
- Cutting up cooking ingredients, particularly meat
- Repetitive computer mouse use
What are the treatments for tennis elbow?
Resting the elbow and employing measures to reduce the local inflammation are effective treatments for tennis elbow. Cold application several times daily and anti-inflammatory medications (such as ibuprofen [Advil] or naproxen [Aleve]) can be helpful. Physical therapy and rehabilitation exercises for the elbow that are guided by therapists can be helpful for persisting pain and inflammation. For tennis elbow that is resistant to these measures, local cortisone injection can be beneficial. Rarely, surgical repair of the injured tendon is considered.
What are the risk factors for tennis elbow?
Factors that may increase your risk of tennis elbow include:
- Age. While tennis elbow affects people of all ages, it's most common in adults between the ages of 30 and 50.
- Occupation. People who have jobs that involve repetitive motions of the wrist and arm are more likely to develop tennis elbow. Examples include plumbers, painters, carpenters, butchers and cooks.
- Certain sports. Participating in racket sports increases your risk of tennis elbow, especially if you employ poor stroke technique.
Is there a cure/medications for tennis elbow?
Tennis elbow is a type of tendinitis -- swelling of the tendons -- that causes pain in the elbow and arm. These tendons are bands of tough tissue that connect the muscles of your lower arm to the bone.
Types of treatment that help are:
1. Icing the elbow to reduce pain and swelling. Experts recommend doing it for 20 to 30 minutes every 3 to 4 hours for 2 to 3 days or until the pain is gone.
2. Using an elbow strap to protect the injured tendon from further strain.
3. Taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, naproxen, or aspirin, to help with pain and swelling. However, these drugs can cause side effects, such as bleeding and ulcers. You should only use them occasionally, unless your doctor says otherwise, since they may delay healing.
4. Performing range of motion exercises to reduce stiffness and increase flexibility. Your doctor may recommend that you do them three to five times a day.
5. Getting physical therapy to strengthen and stretch the muscles.
6. Having injections of steroids or painkillers to temporarily ease some of the swelling and pain around the joint. Studies suggest that steroid injections don't help in the long term.
Most of the time, these treatments will do the work but Surgery is indicated in certain cases. In the procedure, the damaged section of the tendon usually is removed and the remaining tendon repaired. Surgery works in about 85%-90% of cases.
Symptoms
Pain or burning on the outer part of your elbow,Weak grip strength,Sometimes, pain in the thigh
Conditions
Burning or pain on the outer elbow that may travel to your wrist,Pain when twisting or bending arm
Drugs
Physical therapy,Steroid therapy,Rehabilitation,Surgery