Tennis Elbow

Tendons are tough bands of connective tissue which connect muscle to bone. When the muscles that attach tendons to the bone on the outside (lateral) part of the elbow are overworked and the attachment degenerates, tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) develops.

SYMPTOMS OF TENNIS ELBOW

Pain is the primary reason patients seek medical evaluation. The pain is located over the outside aspect of the elbow over the bone region known as the lateral epicondyle. This area becomes tender to touch. Pain is also produced by any activity that places stress on the tendon. With activity, the pain usually starts at the elbow and may radiate down the forearm to the hand.

CAUSES

Tennis elbow is muscle injury that develops over time from muscle overuse. Repetitive motions, such as gripping a racket while swinging, can put constant stress on the tendons, causing microscopic tears.

Tennis elbow may result from sports, such as:

Fencing
Racquetball
Squash
Tennis

Not limited to sports alone, tennis elbow may also occur in patients with occupations or hobbies that also require repetitive arm movements, such as:

Carpentry
Knitting
Painting
Raking
Typing
Weightlifting

TREATMENT FOR TENNIS ELBOW

NON-SURGICAL

Tennis elbow can typically be resolved using non-surgical methods of treatment that include:

Icing the elbow 20 to 30 minutes every three to four hours for a couple of days or until the pain is gone
Performing exercises to increase range of motion, reduce stiffness and improve flexibility
Physical therapy to stretch the muscles, specifically in the forearm
Receiving steroid injections to temporarily ease pain and swelling around the joint
Platelet-rich plasma therapy, an injection of plasma with highly concentrated amounts of platelets to potentially speed the healing process
Taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen (i.e., Advil®), naproxen (i.e., Aleve®) or aspirin

SURGICAL

In severe cases, surgery may be an option for patients who have not improved within six to 12 months of conservative therapy. Surgical options for tennis elbow may involve:

Cutting (releasing) the affected tendon
Removing inflamed tissue from the tendon
Repairing tendon tears without overstretching the tendon

Surgery may be performed arthroscopically or with microsurgery. These two minimally invasive procedures treat tennis elbow as well as other conditions of the hand and upper extremity.