Unfortunately, elbow pain is a common problem among athletes and nonathletes alike. Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis, is one of the most prevalent causes.
But you don’t have to be a tennis player to have lateral epicondylitis. It happens to anyone who performs repetitive forearm motions, causing tension on the supporting tendons and muscles.
At Alpha Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, Dr. Brian Snow and Dr. Jon Thompson provide orthopedic care and sports medicine for issues like elbow pain. We offer conservative therapies and orthopedic surgery for acute and repetitive injuries.
Despite its name, tennis elbow isn’t a condition that only affects tennis players. It’s an injury that leads to pain around the elbow, usually from repetitive stress on the tendons in the joint.
The elbow is where the upper arm and lower arm bones meet. It hinges, allowing the arm to bend and straighten at the elbow.
Tennis elbow affects the lateral epicondyle, a bony prominence on the humerus where the extensor tendon attaches the extensor muscles to the bone. Repetitive motions strain the muscles and tendons, leading to painful inflammation known as lateral epicondylitis.
Tennis elbow is extremely common in athletes and workers who overuse their forearm muscles or elbows. The symptoms may develop over time and include:
Tennis elbow pain often worsens when the arm is moved in a twisting motion, which stresses the extensor tendon. It may also spread from the elbow down into the forearm and wrist, especially in the evening.
Tennis elbow occurs from repetitive motions in the elbow joint. Repetitive arm use results in microtrauma to the extensor muscle tendon, which in turn causes symptoms.
People overuse the elbow through work and sports activities. A few of the repetitive motions that lead to tennis elbow include:
Repeating these motions puts strain on the tendons and muscles, eventually leading to tennis elbow.
Less often, injuries to the elbow tissues or a connective tissue disorder lead to tennis elbow. Sometimes, we don't know the cause but provide treatment to prevent symptoms from recurring.
Preventing tennis elbow isn’t always easy, but it’s possible by avoiding repetitive motions around the elbow. If your tennis elbow stems from physical activity, follow these tips to prevent a flare-up:
You can also perform sports- or activity-specific exercises and stretches to relieve strain on the arm’s tendons, ligaments, and muscles.
If your job or hobby causes tennis elbow, it’s crucial to take the proper steps to avoid it from coming back. Take breaks from repetitive motions like using a screwdriver or painting and stretch in between.
Prevention measures don’t always work, which is why our team offers various treatments, such as physical therapy referrals, anti-inflammatory medications, immobilization devices, and PRP or stem cell therapy.
Call one of our McKinney and Prosper, Texas offices for a tennis elbow consultation. Alternatively, you may contact our team on our website to schedule an appointment with Dr. Thompson or Dr. Snow to discuss treatment options.
