What Is Tennis Elbow?
Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) is Elbow Tendinitis, resulting from an overuse of the tendons in your elbow.
Very similar to Golfer’s Elbow, to clarify the difference between the two:
- Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis) stems from damage to tendons on the outer part of the elbow
- Golfer’s Elbow (Medial Epicondylitis) is caused by tendons on the inner part the elbow
So we are dealing with a form of Elbow Tendonitis which, as we know, can cause inflammation and pain that can be excruciating! The pain doesn’t just show on the outside of your elbow. It can radiate down into the forearm, and even further into the back of your hand.
Who Gets Tennis Elbow?
You will feel this pain when you move your hand/wrist/arm, and as such, people experiencing this condition often tend to stop moving the affected area. Tennis Elbow can severely hamper your job if it involves manual tasks, or even working with a mouse and keyboard.
People who are prone to Tennis Elbow:
- Mechanics
- Nurses
- Electricians / Plumbers
- Desk Workers
- Sports People
- Drivers
Symptoms Of Tennis Elbow
To be 100% pain free, it can take a long time to recover fully from this painful condition. Give yourself at least six months, and a maximum of two years to recover. It’s a serious problem!
Once you have it, it seems that almost every activity can cause the painful symptoms to appear, such as:
- General Pain on the outside of your elbow, which can travel as you use or exercise the arm
- Pain during any twisting motion, like using a screwdriver, or even opening a door
- Sharper Pain when picking up or gripping something small with your fingers
- Stiffness when extending your arm
Tennis Elbow Causes
Again, this form of Tendinitis is most often caused by a Repetitive Strain Injury – overusing your forearm. Minor wear and tears can develop in the tendon that take time to heal. When you go back to loading the tendon before it’s been fully healed – it gets worse!
Another cause can be if you suddenly undertake strenuous activity with your arm, having being laid-off for a long time. Take your time to build back up the strength and conditioning of your arms/tendons/joints before you re-launch your tennis career!
Sometimes, if you have been injured with a blunt trauma (like hitting your arm!) it can set you up to develop a worsening problem.
