What Are The Common Causes of Tennis Elbow?

Tennis elbow – also known as lateral epicondylitis – is a condition in which strains around the elbow cause damage to the tendons that attach the forearm muscles to the elbow, resulting in pain when you reach out or grip something with your hand. As its name suggests, the condition is common among tennis players and athletes using their wrists to grip and swing.

It typically causes pain on the inner or outer side of the forearm due to inflammation of the tendons that attach to the outermost point of your elbow. The arm suffering from it can experience pain during basic everyday tasks such as buttoning up clothing, shaking hands with people, and carrying groceries. Usually, it doesn’t stem from any injury other than repetitive motions like those mentioned above, although not always.

Generally, tennis elbow is more common among people over 40 due to aging joints and muscles becoming weaker and less resilient. Still, it can be caused by repetitive activities at any age, such as working out the same muscle groups repeatedly.

What Treatment is Available?

Dependent on the severity of the problem and the number of symptoms, a doctor may suggest different treatments, including:

• Elbow support such as a splint, brace, or sleeve that fits over your forearm and elbow to reduce pain while doing everyday activities
• Exercises to keep the elbow and arm muscles flexible and strong to support the joint;
• Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, or others), which your doctor may prescribe if you have pain while doing everyday activities
• Surgery in rare cases

Preventative Measures and Managing the Condition

If you have a family history of elbow pain, you may be predisposed to the condition. In any case, when you start experiencing elbow pain, take a break from your usual activities and rest. If your pain persists, visit your doctor for further testing and advice on ways to manage the condition.

It is also possible that your physician may prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs – this may help keep the pain and any swelling under control and allow you to continue with your daily routine with less pain and restriction.

In addition, it is always recommended to check in with a doctor before you start any exercise program intended to help with your condition. Certain exercises are designed for those who have mild cases of tennis elbow; however, they should not be attempted if you suffer from more severe pain or loss of strength in the affected arm.

A lot has been published about the treatment of tennis elbow, but there’s little evidence to suggest that one type of treatment works better than another.Whatever the case, the most important course ofaction is to start with an effective treatment early to prevent further damage, which could lead to surgery if left untreated.

Summary

Because tennis elbow is not a disease in itself but a symptom caused by other conditions, there are many possible causes. These include:

• Repetitive use of your arm, hand, and wrist, such as during sports or at work
• Injury to the tendons that attach your upper arm muscles to your elbow joint
• Age-related degeneration of the muscles and tendon attachments around your elbow joint, which can pull and strain the tissues, thus causing pain and inflammation

If you have problems with the above-mentioned symptoms, it’s wise to visit a doctor to find the root cause. If it does indeed turn out to be tennis elbow, you should take some time off from aggravating activities and consider the options in this guide, which may offer some relief and help you prevent further damage in the future.