Frequently Asked Questions about Tennis Elbow Tennis elbow is a painful condition of the elbow caused by overuse. The article discusses frequently asked questions about this elbow disorder.
Tennis elbow - one of the most common elbow injuries in the world of sports - is a condition that causes pain around the outside of the elbow. Also called lateral epicondylitis, this painful condition is the result of strenuous or repetitive movement or overuse of the muscles and tendons of the wrist and forearm. It can affect people of any age, but is most common among people in the age group of 30 - 50 years. Pain management specialists in leading multispecialty healthcare centers in Brooklyn, NYC offer effective non-invasive treatment modalities to treat the pain and discomfort associated with the condition. Here are frequently asked questions and answers about tennis elbow -
What causes tennis elbow? Tennis elbow is considered an overuse and muscle strain injury. It is caused by repetitive stress and movements of the forearm muscles that you use to straighten and raise your hand and wrist. The repeated motions may result in a series of tiny tears developing in the tendons that attach the forearm muscles to the bony prominence at the outside of your elbow. As the name suggests, playing racquet sports like tennis/squash which involve repeated use of the backhand stroke is one of the possible causes of tennis elbow. Other possible causes include - repetitive computer mouse use, using plumbing tools, painting, weightlifting and driving screws.
What are the common symptoms of tennis elbow? Burning pain sensation on the outside of elbow (that can radiate in to forearm and wrist) is one of the primary symptoms associated with this condition. The pain symptoms may make it difficult even to shake hands, turn a door knob and lift or bend arm or twist forearm. Other symptoms include Chronic pain when lifting or bending the arm Difficulty in extending the forearm fully Pain when gripping, lifting and carrying Tenderness outside the elbow Wrist weakness The pain and discomfort can last for weeks, months and years.
What are the potential risk factors associated with this condition? The potential factors that may increase your risk of suffering tennis elbow include - age, occupation and participation in certain types of sports activities.
Can non-tennis players get tennis elbow? Yes. Tennis elbow can affect plumbers, painters, carpenters, and butchers. The basic concept is that any activity which requires repetitive motions in the wrist and arm could cause the condition. So besides tennis players and other athlete, plumbers, painters, carpenters, and butchers are prone to tennis elbow.
How is tennis elbow diagnosed? The initial step in diagnosing this elbow condition involves the pain management doctor applying pressure to the affected area and moving elbow, wrist and fingers in various ways. The physician may suggest X-rays, elbow MRI or other types of imaging tests to identify the root cause of elbow pain. This will help assess the type and severity of injury to the cartilage, tendons and ligaments.
How is the condition treated? The first step towards recovery is to give your arm proper rest. Try to modify your level of activities and reduce/avoid activities that strain your muscles and tendons. Stop participating in sports activities or other manual tasks (that involve lifting)for several weeks until the pain in your arm completely improves. This will allow the damaged tendons to heal more quickly. Holding a cold compress to the elbow will reduce inflammation and alleviate pain. In fact, experts recommend doing for at least 20 - 30 minutes several times a day for 2 to 3 days until the pain subsides completely.
Healthcare centers provide tennis elbow treatment using noninvasive modalities: ✓ Physical therapy exercises strengthen the muscles of the forearm and improve joint flexibility. ✓ Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) involves using low-voltage electric stimulation that interacts with the sensory nervous system to relieve pain. ✓ Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, naproxen, or aspirin are prescribed to manage pain and inflammation ✓ Ice and heat application - ice packs helps to lower inflammation and heat packs relax the muscles. ✓ Pain injections - cortisone injections are administered to ease pain. ✓ Game Ready Cold Therapy and Compression involves the application of controlled cold therapy and intermittent compression to promote healing. ✓ Chiropractic treatment helps restore the normal alignment of the elbow joints, improve joint flexibility and reduce inflammation, allowing the damaged tendons to heal more quickly. In most cases, people are completely relieved of their elbow pain with the above mentioned nonsurgical treatment methods. Surgery to remove the damaged part of the tendons would be recommended only if pain becomes severe and chronic.
Can tennis elbow prevented? Taking certain precautions could prevent tennis elbow: ▪
Using the right techniques in playing sports
▪
Proper strengthening in wrist extensors
▪
Progressive return back to sports such as tennis
▪
Adopting proper loading mechanics