Tennis elbow
is the name given to a condition that causes pain on the outside of the elbow.
The medical term for tennis elbow is lateral epicondylitis or common extensor
tendinopathy. Tennis elbow is caused by repeatedly overusing the muscles of the
forearm that attach to the elbow and move the wrist. The muscles and tendon
become strained so that small tears develop in the tendon near the bony lump at
the elbow (epicondyle).
Symptoms of
a tennis elbow
- Tender
painful area on the bone on the outer part of the elbow.
- Pain on
gripping even small objects such as a pen.
- Pain when
twisting the forearm such as opening a jar.
- Pain when lifting a weight.
- Pain when lifting a weight.
- Pain when
using a keyboard.
- Difficulty
in straightening the elbow.
- Rest. It is
important to stop or change the activity that is causing the pain.
- Ice pack.
Apply a cold pack to the painful area for 10 minutes every two hours. Do not
apply ice directly to the skin. Either wrap ice in a wet tea towel or cloth or
use sports gel pack that can be placed in the freezer.
- Strap or
braze. Some people find tennis elbow splints helpful. These should be worn only
when doing activity and should be removed at night.
- Over the
counter medicines such as paracetamol or ibuprofen gels can help with pain relief.
Later stage
treatment
- Exercise. It
is essential to regain full flexibility and strength of the forearm muscles. A
physiotherapist can devise a programme of exercises to recondition the forearm
muscles. In some instances tennis elbow is caused by weakness in the shoulder
girdle muscles and strengthening these muscles is part of a rehabilitation
programme.
- Manual
treatment. If the condition is persistent specific soft tissue manipulation
performed by a physiotherapist can be helpful.
Treating Tennis Elbow by Randy Woodman
(pinnaclephysio.com)
When
returning to sport the following should be observed:
- Take
adequate rest between sessions.
- Do not play
sport if your arm is painful.
- Do not
return to playing sport until you have regained the strength in your arm
muscles.
- Get
professional advice on your technique and the equipment you use.
Preventing a
tennis elbow
Tennis elbow
is usually an overuse injury and can be prevented by taking simple precautions.
- Do gentle
warm-up exercises before activity to prepare the arm for the stresses and
strains normally experienced when exercising.
- Take regular
breaks if you are doing a repetitive activity.
- Stopping the
activity that’s causing the problem or find a different way to do it.
- Seeking
advice early from your GP or Chartered Physiotherapist if symptoms do not settle with self management.