Tennis Elbow!?! I Don’t Play Tennis!!
- Ricardo Pacheco PT, DPT
- Oct 24, 2022
- 2 min read
Updated October 15th, 2022
Introduction
“Tennis elbow?! I don't even play tennis!” -everyone. If you have ever had elbow pain without an explanation you have likely googled: “why does my elbow hurt?” To which the first page mostly says “Tennis elbow” or also known as “lateral epicondylitis”. If not then my bad, I didn't know how else to start this article. Moral of the story is tennis elbow is a very common diagnosis to individuals who experience elbow pain without an actual mechanism of injury. So why call it tennis elbow you might ask?! This is mostly an overuse injury caused by specific muscles in the forearm, which are commonly used with a backhand swing in tennis. It is important to note that only 5% of people suffering from tennis elbow can relate the injury to tennis (1).
Brief Anatomy
There are three bones that make up the elbow joint. The humerus, which is the bone of the upper arm going towards your head, and the radius and ulna which are the two bones that make up your forearm. You have a group of muscles that make up the bottom of the forearm, called the wrist flexors. The muscle group on top of the forearm are the wrist extensors, which are the main muscles involved with tennis elbow. They are responsible for bringing your wrist towards you if your palm is facing down.
Common symptoms
Pain with gripping or shaking hands.
Pain with turning a door knob.
Weakness with gripping or carrying objects.
Burning or ache on the lateral aspect of your elbow.
Swelling around the elbow joint.
So What's Causing The Pain?!
As mentioned earlier, tennis elbow is an overuse injury that causes inflammation, or micro tearing, of the wrist extensor tendons that connect to the outside of the elbow. Activities that can lead to this diagnosis are: repetitive gripping and handling, constant typing on a computer, weight lifting, frequent lifting, cutting, throwing, as well as frequent use of hand tools. Some jobs that can correlate with this diagnosis can be: carpenters, gardeners, desk workers, electricians, dentists and musicians. Essentially any profession which involves frequent repetitive movement of the forearm.
What Can Be Done?
It is always important to consult with the proper healthcare professional, such as a physical therapist or an orthopedist, to either rule in or out the diagnosis of tennis elbow. With that being said, if you do truly have this diagnosis there are certain baseline exercises that can help reduce your symptoms:
Conclusion
Lateral epicondylitis or tennis elbow is one of the most common diagnoses that involve elbow pain. This article is short, sweet, and to the point. But it is important to know that there could be some speed bumps and road blocks along the way with the recovery process. Please consult with a physical therapist or an appropriate healthcare professional to be guided in the right direction. Reach out to us with any questions or concerns.
References
1. Whaley A, Baker C. Lateral epicondylitis. Clin Sports Med 2004;23(4):677– 691
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Last updated April 24, 2022
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