Tennis Elbow (aka lateral epicondylitis)
What is Tennis Elbow?
Tennis elbow is a very common overuse injury that involves inflammation, tenderness, and pain on the outside of the upper arm near the elbow. Tendons from the muscles in your forearm attach to the bone on the outside of your elbow called your lateral epicondyle. When you use these muscles over and over again, damage can occur to the area where the tendons attach to the bone on the outside of your elbow. Over time, this leads to irritation and pain where the tendons attach to the bone.
Common Causes: You do not have to play tennis to develop tennis elbow. People that take part in activities that involve a lot of repetitive wrist extension often develop this issue. For example:
- Carpenters (repetitive use of hammers/screw drivers)
- Painters
- People who chop wood regularly
- Those who spend a lot of time knitting/sewing
- People who spend a lot of time on the computer, typing
- Those who frequently play tennis, squash, badminton and other racket sports.
Tennis elbow can also start suddenly from a direct trauma to the elbow.
Signs and Symptoms
- Pain and tenderness to the outside of the elbow that usually develops gradually over time.
- Pain is usually 1-2 cm down from the lateral epicondyle on the out aspect of the elbow.
- Increased pain when the lateral epicondyle is palpated
- Sometimes pain refers from the elbow down to the forearm to the back of the hand when grasping or twisting the wrist.
- Weakened grip. Activities like hammering, opening a jar and pouring a glass of juice can sometimes become quite difficult.
- Increased pain with activities such as turning a door knob, opening a jar, carrying items, picking up a glass, etc.
Tennis elbow is a very common overuse injury that involves inflammation, tenderness, and pain on the outside of the upper arm near the elbow. Tendons from the muscles in your forearm attach to the bone on the outside of your elbow called your lateral epicondyle. When you use these muscles over and over again, damage can occur to the area where the tendons attach to the bone on the outside of your elbow. Over time, this leads to irritation and pain where the tendons attach to the bone.
Common Causes: You do not have to play tennis to develop tennis elbow. People that take part in activities that involve a lot of repetitive wrist extension often develop this issue. For example:
- Carpenters (repetitive use of hammers/screw drivers)
- Painters
- People who chop wood regularly
- Those who spend a lot of time knitting/sewing
- People who spend a lot of time on the computer, typing
- Those who frequently play tennis, squash, badminton and other racket sports.
Tennis elbow can also start suddenly from a direct trauma to the elbow.
Signs and Symptoms
- Pain and tenderness to the outside of the elbow that usually develops gradually over time.
- Pain is usually 1-2 cm down from the lateral epicondyle on the out aspect of the elbow.
- Increased pain when the lateral epicondyle is palpated
- Sometimes pain refers from the elbow down to the forearm to the back of the hand when grasping or twisting the wrist.
- Weakened grip. Activities like hammering, opening a jar and pouring a glass of juice can sometimes become quite difficult.
- Increased pain with activities such as turning a door knob, opening a jar, carrying items, picking up a glass, etc.
Treatment Options
1. Avoid repetitive activities when possible. This is not a permanent solution but does need to be done initially to allow the tendons to heal.
2. Apply ice to the painful area every 2 hours for 20 minutes.
3. Speak to your family doctor or local pharmacist to see if it is safe for you to take anti-inflammatory medications.
4. An elbow brace designed for tennis elbow, called an Epiclasp, can be purchased from most drugstores. Place the brace below the lateral epicondyle. Tighten firmly but not so tight that the brace causes numbness/tingling to the fingers.
1. Avoid repetitive activities when possible. This is not a permanent solution but does need to be done initially to allow the tendons to heal.
2. Apply ice to the painful area every 2 hours for 20 minutes.
3. Speak to your family doctor or local pharmacist to see if it is safe for you to take anti-inflammatory medications.
4. An elbow brace designed for tennis elbow, called an Epiclasp, can be purchased from most drugstores. Place the brace below the lateral epicondyle. Tighten firmly but not so tight that the brace causes numbness/tingling to the fingers.
5. With the elbow straight, bend your wrist using your good hand. Pull until you feel a good stretch (avoid sharp pain) and hold this position for 30 seconds. Repeat 3 times. Do this 2-3 times/day.
6. One of the best exercises for any tendonitis is eccentrics; the active contraction of a muscle while it's lengthening.
Hold a weight with your injured arm, and use your good arm to help extend the wrist upwards. Once completely up let go of your wrist, and VERY slowly lower the wrist in to a flexed position. That is one repetition.
In the beginning repeat this exercise 10 times, and do 3 sets. As your elbow gets stronger repeat this 20 times for 3 sets.
Hold a weight with your injured arm, and use your good arm to help extend the wrist upwards. Once completely up let go of your wrist, and VERY slowly lower the wrist in to a flexed position. That is one repetition.
In the beginning repeat this exercise 10 times, and do 3 sets. As your elbow gets stronger repeat this 20 times for 3 sets.