Tennis elbow is a common elbow complaint that is not just for tennis players. What causes it, who gets it, and how can it be treated?
What is tennis elbow?
Tennis elbow is inflammation of the tendons of the elbow, clinically known as lateral epicondylitis.
Common causes of tennis elbow include;
- Overuse or repetitive use, specifically gripping while using force. For example, gripping the tennis racquet while hitting a ball, or gripping and pushing a screwdriver.
- Tight forearm muscles.
- Equipment with too large a grip.
- Poor technique.
- Poor arm and shoulder strength.
- Impingement of the radial nerve at the neck.
What are the signs and symptoms of tennis elbow?
Signs and symptoms include an ache at the elbow joints on the thumb side of the arm. Symptoms also include tenderness to touch, weakness when gripping, and tension in the forearms and back of the arm.
Who gets tennis elbow?
Tennis elbow does effect tennis players however, I more commonly see trades-people and other athletes with tennis elbow. Painters, electricians and mechanics, chefs, musicians and other athletes such as cricketers and golfers can all suffer tennis elbow.
Golfers elbow is a similar condition not to be confused with tennis elbow.
How can I treat tennis elbow?
Tennis elbow can quickly become chronic and should be treated as early as as symptoms start to appear.
Initial Self Care for Tennis Elbow
- Rest: Don’t exercise or if able, stay off the tools for a few days.
- Ice: Apply an ice pack wrapped in a towel, a cold compress or better yet, dip it in an ice bath for 10 minutes after you exercise or when you feel pain in the elbow.
- Compress: Use a compression sleeve from above the elbow to wrist while it feels inflamed.
- Elevate: Lie down and elevate your arm. This will help keep the swelling to a minimum.
- Refer: See a physical therapist, such as a massage therapist or physiotherapist for treatment.
Follow up self-care
- Take anti-inflammatory medications. Pain relievers like ibuprofen can help ease pain and reduce swelling in the short term, especially if it wakes you up at night.
- Stretch and exercise your forearm muscles while you recover. Keeping your muscles, tendons, and ligaments strong and flexible will aid in your recovery and help you keep from re-injuring your elbow. A physical therapist can help you come up with a good exercise program.
- Use a tennis elbow strap. Straps are readily available in chemists or at your physical therapists. Use it whenever you are doing the activity that caused the initial pain and any activity similar. For example, if chopping the vegetables causes your pain, wear it then but also wear it for other housework such as vacuuming. The strap will give your forearm muscles a new point to hinge from and give the attachment point at the elbow, the point of inflammation, the ability to rest.
- Massage and dry needling. Remedial massage can help manage the muscle tension in the forearm and triceps and dry needling can help reduce the inflammation and the tension of the muscles.
What stretches should I do for tennis elbow?
Forearm Extensor Stretch
Place the fingers and palms of your hands together in a ‘prayer’ position.
Lower your hands and spread your elbows apart as far as you can while keeping your palms together.
Relax your hands.
When performed correctly, this exercise causes your wrists to bend back until you feel a stretch across your palms, wrists, and inner forearms.
Or try this stretch against a wall.
Forearm Flexor Stretch
Place the arms at chest height with elbows bent and back of the hands together. Raise the wrists in until a stretch is felt in the top of the forearm. Hold the stretch for 20 to 30 seconds. Release.
Triceps Release
Lie down on your stomach and position a trigger point ball under your arm above your elbow on your triceps. From this position, you can slowly move your arm side to side across the ball. You can also flex and extend your elbow while keeping the ball over the tender spot.
Self care supplies
Suffering from tennis elbow?
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