Tennis Elbow - The Ins & Outs
04 February 2013
Tennis Elbow is also know as Lateral Epicondylitis and affects the outside part of the upper forearm.
It is a repetitive strain injury so it occurs due to strenuous overuse activity.
Signs you have it:
Sharp pain on outside part of your upper forearm (usually at an exact point)
Lifting an item such as a kettle may be difficult
Twisting your forearm to open a door may be sore
Home Test:
A test you can do yourself to see if you have Tennis elbow is to find a chair with a back on it such as a kitchen chair.
With your palms facing downwards, grasp the back of the chair and lift the chair up. If this causes pain in your elbow, there is a good chance you have tennis elbow
What happens:
Due to excessive repetitive action, straightening of the wrist, a tear occurs in the tendon and inflammation occurs.
At the start the pain is sharp, you can usually pin point the pain at the bony part on the outside part of elbow.
Treatment:
At the start R.I.C.E procedure is important especially rest! Rest, Ice, Compress and Elevate.
Stretching the wrist up and down (flexion and extension) will help with the healing process. Make sure this feels good and isn’t sore.
Massage can also help the area. Cross friction massage has found to be effective where the area is rubbed side to side across the tendon rather than rubbing up and down along the tendon.
Once the pain has eased and the inflammation has calmed, the area can be strengthened using light hand weights moving the wrist up, down, side to side and rotating the forearm
Stretching and strengthening the forearms also help to prevent tennis elbow.
(Image courtesy of healingdream at FreeDigitalPhotos.net)