Tennis elbow
Tennis elbow (or lateral epicondylitis) is a condition where the outer part of the elbow becomes painful and tender, usually as a result of a specific strain or overuse. While it is called tennis elbow as it is suffered mostly by tennis players, it should be noted that it is by no means restricted to tennis players. Anyone who does a lot of work involving lifting at the elbow joint is susceptible to tennis elbow.
With tennis elbow, the common extensor tendon origin at the lateral epicondyle of the humerus is irritated, damaged and potentionally inflamed.
In the case of tennis elbow, most tennis players with harder, more forceful serves feel gradually worsening pain after ten to twenty serves have been hit. The stress on the elbow can be great due to the centrifugal force applied to it. This force can, over a short period of minutes, develop into the specific problem known as tennis elbow.
Symptoms
- Outer part of elbow (lateral epicondyle) tender to touch
- Lateral elbow pain radiating to extensor aspect of forearm.
- Movements of elbow hurt, especially lifting movements
- Extensive pain seems to extend from elbow to mid-humerus.
- Pain usually subsides overnight.
Treatment
Rest is the treatment of choice. Intra-articular steroid injections can give symptomatic relief for a period of time. Splints may be helpful, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may reduce pain, and physiotherapy may help. If conservative measures fail, release of the carpi radialis brevis may be helpful.
External links
- Medinfo article on Tennis elbow
- Tennis Elbow treatments and exercises
- Good resource on tennis elbow with diagrams
- Tennis elbow on orthopedics.about.com
- BBC Sport Academy: What is tennis elbow?
- "Tennis elbow:Even cricketers and housewives can get it" - Times of India article dated September 4, 2004 explaining tennis elbow following Sachin Tendulkar contracting it