Tennis elbow is a painful condition affecting the outer side of the elbow, caused by small tears in tendons and muscles. It can be confused with golfer’s elbow or bursitis. Treatment involves rest, massage, and exercise, with surgery as a last resort. To prevent recurrence, modify the activity that caused it and build muscle strength.
Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis, is a painful condition that affects the outer or lateral side of the elbow and can cause pain even when gripping or carrying a very light object, such as a cup of coffee. About half of all tennis players will experience this condition at some point in their lives, but they account for only about 5% of all who suffer from it, as the condition can be caused by many activities.
Many people confuse tennis elbow with two other painful conditions: golfer’s elbow or medial epicondylitis and bursitis. Golfer’s elbow is caused by the same types of activities, but the pain is mostly felt on the inside of the elbow rather than the outside. The bursitis pain is in the back of the elbow.
Tennis elbow typically causes recurring pain in the upper outer forearm just below the elbow, and the pain may radiate down the arm. Bending, lifting, or straightening your arm will also cause pain due to inflamed muscles and tendons. Typical attacks last from six to 12 weeks, but they can also last longer or shorter periods of time.
Small tears in the tendons and muscles are what cause this pain. Tendons anchor muscles to bone, and when they tear, they take much longer to heal than muscle tissue because the tendons receive less blood and oxygen. Once the tendons and muscles are injured, the site is always vulnerable to tearing again. Further injury can lead to hemorrhaging and calcium deposits in the tissues. A protein called collagen can also create inflammation that can put pressure on the radial nerve that controls muscles in your arm and hand.
Because tennis elbow is associated with tendon injuries, it is often referred to as tendonitis; however, if the bone itself feels sore and the muscles are involved, it is epicondylitis. While this condition involves inflammation of the tissues at the site of the injury, it doesn’t cause swelling of the arm, which could be indicative of arthritis, gout, or even infection.
The recommended treatment is to stop whatever activity has caused the inflammation and to allow the arm to rest until all the pain is gone. At that point, massage and exercise can be helpful in strengthening the arm against further injury. It is also recommended that you slowly and gently stretch your arm for 10-15 minutes before engaging in any activity.
In special cases, a doctor may suggest anti-inflammatory creams, injections, or even surgery to treat this problem. However, surgery is recommended as a last resort in less than 3% of patients. In this case, tendon injuries may be repaired or the tendon may be cut away from the bone to release the stress, although this is rarely chosen as it leaves the tendon useless.
To prevent tennis elbow from recurring, experts suggest modifying the activity that caused it, such as stretching or warming up the arm, exercising the arm to build muscle strength, and resting the arm between activities. People experiencing persistent elbow or arm pain should see a doctor to have the problem diagnosed and treated professionally.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
