Tennis elbow is a type of tendinitis, basically an irritation of your tendons that causes pain in the elbow and the forearm. These tendons, are bands of tough tissue that connect the muscles of your lower arm to the bone. Even though doctors call this pain lateral epicondylitis, everyone else calls it tennis elbow. Any repetitive gripping activities, using the thumb and first two fingers may cause tennis elbow. Elbow pain is one of the number one reasons that people see their doctors. It most commonly happens to people forty years or older.
Some of the questions you may have asked yourself at some point:
- What Is Tennis Elbow
- What can cause Tennis Elbow
- Warnings of Tennis Elbow
- Treating Tennis Elbow
- Additional things to reduce Tennis elbow pain
- Life after Tennis Elbow
- Your future with Tennis Elbow
- Preventing Tennis elbow
What can Cause Tennis Elbow?
Tennis elbow usually develops over time. Repetitive motions like gripping a racket during a swing, or opening jars, can strain the muscles and put stress on the tendons. That constant stress on your forearm muscles and your tendon can eventually cause small tears in the tissue.
Tennis elbow might result from:
- Tennis
- Bowling
- Playing an instrument
- Fencing
- Weight Lifting
It can also affect people with jobs or hobbies that require repetitive arm movements or gripping such as:
- Carpentry
- Computers
- Painting
- Gardening
- Sewing
Warnings of Tennis Elbow
The warnings of tennis elbow include pain and tenderness on the outside of your elbow. This is where the injured tendons connect to the bone. The pain may also be in your lower arm. Even though the damage might be in the elbow or your forearm, your pain might be felt in your fingers and your grip.
You might feel the pain when you:
- Lift the groceries
- Hitting a back-hand in tennis
- Bowls
- Shake someone’s hand
- Carry a baby
Tennis elbow is similar to golfer’s elbow, but the pain when you have golfer’s elbow affects the tendons on the inside of the elbow.
You may also need imaging tests, such as an X-ray or MRI to see the severity of your tennis elbow.
Treating Tennis Elbow
Your main concern when you have tennis elbow is to get rid of your pain and heal the injured muscles or tendons.
There is the RICE theory:
- Rest
- Ice
- Compression
- Elevation
Additional things to reduce Tennis elbow pain
- Exercise, to reduce stiffness and increase flexibility and strength.
- Visit a Physical Therapist
- Take medications like Ibuprofen or aspirin to reduce your pain and swelling. You may want to see your doctor if your pain persists.
- Injections like a cortisone shot, that reduces the pain but isn’t recommended for more than a couple of times.
Most of the time these treatments will do the trick. But if your tennis elbow pain is severe and continues for several months, you might need surgery to remove the damaged section of the tendon, which is usually successful to get rid of your pain.
Life after Tennis Elbow
Anyone who suffers from tennis elbow wants to get rid of their pain as soon as possible so that they wouldn’t have to restrict the activity that caused it. To do that depends on your health and the severity of the damage to the tendons or muscles. Waiting for a full recovery is very important. If your tennis elbow recovery isn’t complete the injury could get worse and prolong your pain.
Preventing Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow is a recurring ailment and also a degenerative disease. Exercise is the best and healthiest way to reduce your pain and to slow down degeneration of your muscles and tendons.
For more details on precautions, treatment and help with tennis elbow, kindly visit us at www.elbow-ease.com