Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)
Tennis elbow (also known as lateral epicondylitis) affects approximately 40% of people at some point in their lives and for those of you who have experienced it, it can be very painful.
Tennis elbow is a chronic musculoskeletal condition, which appears to be most commonly seen in men and women between the ages of 35 and 54 years old. It is an overuse injury causing tendinosis of the extensor carpi radialis brevis (ECRB) tendon. Unfortunately symptoms often persist for several years and the chance of reoccurrence is common.
Typical signs and symptoms include:
- Pain and tenderness across the outer elbow (lateral epicondyle) which is made worse by resisted wrist extension and passive wrist flexion
- Impaired grip strength
In most cases, the symptoms of tennis elbow start small and get worse gradually over time.
Although tennis players may experience this condition due to the repetitive nature of the game, most cases are associated with work-related activities or may even have no obvious cause at all.
Treatment:
80-95% of patients will improve with non-surgical treatment.
First, we advise our patients to rest their affected arm. NSAID’s such as ibuprofen can help in the short term to reduce any swelling and reduce pain (please speak to your doctor or pharmacist before taking any medication). With Physiotherapy we aim to strengthen the muscles of the forearm and encourage muscle healing. Our physiotherapy treatment encompasses:
- Mobilisations
- Soft tissue work
- Exercise prescription
Completing exercises can be very effective at reducing pain and improving function and there are a variety of exercises that you can do. If you would like help in treating your elbow please contact us here at the Wimbledon Physiotherapy and Sports Injuries Clinic.
Please note, there has been no proven research that having acupuncture, wearing an elbow brace or having a local corticosteroid injection will provide any long-term benefit.
Credit http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00068 and http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/96969-treatment
Photography: Mikael Damkier