Despite the name, tennis elbow - clinically known as lateral epicondylitis - can affect anyone. In fact, it affects around 1-3% of the population every year and is the most common cause of persistent elbow pain. It often happens after overuse or repeated action of the muscles of the forearm, near the elbow joints, and causes pain around the outside of the elbow. To discover more about tennis elbow, its causes, and potential treatments, keep reading this guide from The Hillsborough Chiropractic Clinic.
What is tennis elbow?
Tennis elbow is an injury that occurs when the tissues that attach muscles to bones, known as tendons, become overloaded or overused. This then leads to inflammation, degeneration and potential tearing, all of which can be very painful for the sufferer.
It commonly affects tennis players who grip their racquets too tightly, but athletes are not the only ones at risk - tennis elbow can affect everyone from gardeners and mechanics right through to manicurists and musicians.
What causes tennis elbow?
Repetitive arm movements can cause your forearm muscles to get fatigued. A single tendon attaches this muscle to the bony bump on the outside of your elbow, known as the lateral epicondyle. As your muscle begins to get tired, the tendon bears more of the load. This overloading can cause inflammation and pain, known as tendonitis.
Over time, this can cause a degenerative condition known as tendinosis. Together, tendonitis and tendinosis can then lead to the tendon tearing, which causes further damage and pain in the area.
Sometimes, a sudden arm or elbow injury causes tennis elbow. People rarely develop the condition for no known reason, but it is possible and is known as idiopathic tennis elbow.
What are the symptoms of tennis elbow?
Symptoms tend to come on slowly and worsen as the arm muscle continues to be overused or strained. Common signs of tennis elbow include:
● Burning or pain on your outer elbow that might travel to your wrist (and may get worse at night)
● Pain when twisting or bending your arm
● Stiffness or pain when extending your arm
● Swollen and tender elbow joint
● Weakened grip when holding things
How is tennis elbow treated?
Tennis elbow can get better on its own, with little or no treatment. However, this kind of recovery is likely to take a while. There are some treatments and home remedies that can help to improve symptoms and speed up recovery.
Anyone suffering from tennis elbow should rest their injured arm and stop any activity that’s causing or contributing to the problem. Cold compresses and painkillers, like paracetamol, can help to reduce mild pain, while NSAIDs like ibuprofen can reduce swelling and inflammation. Some kind of physical or manual therapy, such as physiotherapy or chiropractic care, may be recommended in more severe cases. Massage and manipulation can help to relieve pain and stiffness, as well as improve the range of movement in the affected arm.
Surgery that removes the damaged part of the tendon may be an option, though this is almost always a last resort.
If you think you may have tennis elbow, don’t suffer in silence. The Hillsborough Chiropractic Clinic’s team of qualified chiropractors are on hand to relieve pain using tried and tested methods such as massage, acupuncture and mobilisation. Contact us today to arrange your free consultation.
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