Tennis elbow represents a painful condition that occurs when tendons in your elbow are overloaded, usually by repetitive motions of the wrist and arm. Athletes are not the only people who develop this nagging injury. The pain typically centers on the bony bump on the outside of your elbow, where tendons from your forearm muscles attach. Understanding the mechanics behind this injury allows individuals to recognize the warning signs early and seek appropriate care before the condition worsens.
What Causes Tennis Elbow?
The primary driver of tennis elbow is repetitive stress. The condition involves the muscles and tendons of your forearm. When you repeat the same motions again and again, you place stress on the tissue. This stress creates microscopic tears. Playing tennis acts as one possible cause, but many other activities lead to similar strain. Any motion that requires repetitive gripping, twisting, or lifting can trigger the inflammation.
Sudden trauma or a direct blow to the elbow may result in swelling of the tendon, but the slow accumulation of wear and tear remains the most frequent origin. Age plays a role as well. As tendons age, they may lose some elasticity, making them more susceptible to injury from repetitive stress.
What Are the Symptoms?
Pain serves as the most distinct indicator of tennis elbow. This discomfort usually radiates from the outside of your elbow and travels down into your forearm and wrist. The pain often starts as mild discomfort but worsens over time. You might notice the ache specifically when you use your hand for gripping or lifting. Weakness in the hand or wrist frequently accompanies the pain, meaning you may find it difficult to perform tasks that require grip strength.
Stiffness in the elbow, particularly in the morning, also points to this condition. The area on the outside of the elbow may feel tender to the touch. Ignoring the early signs of soreness often leads to chronic pain that persists even when the arm is at rest.
How Is It Treated?
Effective management usually begins with conservative, non-surgical methods. The goal centers on reducing pain and inflammation while allowing the tendon to heal. Resting the affected arm constitutes the first step. You must stop or significantly modify the activities that caused the injury, preventing further damage. Over-the-counter pain relievers may help manage discomfort during the initial phases of recovery.
Physical therapy offers significant benefits for long-term recovery. A therapist guides you through exercises designed to stretch and strengthen the forearm muscles. Improving the strength of these muscles reduces the load on the injured tendon. Therapists may also demonstrate better techniques for your daily activities, helping to avoid future strain.
Bracing acts as another helpful tool. A brace worn around the upper forearm can relieve tension on the tendon attachment site. This simple device changes the angle at which the tendon works, reducing the force transmitted to the injured area.
Meet a Sports Injury Specialist
If rest and basic modifications do not alleviate your symptoms, seeking professional guidance becomes necessary. A sports injury specialist can provide a comprehensive evaluation to confirm the diagnosis and rule out other potential issues. These specialists offer advanced treatment options, including physical therapy guidance, for persistent cases.