Tennis elbow is the most common reason for a doctor’s visit with elbow pain. It is a type of tendinitis and is defined as swelling of the tendons. When these tendons swell, this causes pain in the elbow and arm. Although it appears that the injury would be most common in only tennis players, that’s not the case. In fact, it more commonly occurs if you’ve never picked up a racket before. Tennis elbow occurs with any repetitive gripping activities. And this is especially true if the thumb and first two fingers are used. This condition is most common at the age of 40, although it can occur at any age.
Symptoms of Tennis Elbow:
When you’re experiencing tennis elbow, you might have elbow pain and tenderness at the knob of your elbow. This is where the tendons connect to the bone, and the possible injury has occurred. In some instances, the pain will radiate into the upper or lower arm.
The injury may cause pain when you lift something. In some cases, you will feel pain when you make a fist or grip an object, such as a tennis racket. If you raise or straighten your hand, it is also common for you to feel pain.
Causes of the Injury:
Tennis elbow is a repetitive motion condition, and it usually develops over some time. Repetitive motions, for instance, gripping a racket for a swing, can strain the muscles and add stress to the tendons. When this repetitive motion occurs and causes constant tugging, it can eventually cause microscopic tissue tears.
There are many different activities which can cause the injury, including the following:
- Weight Lifting
- Fencing
- Tennis
- Racquetball
Activities aren’t the only constant motion that can cause tennis elbow. Any job or hobby that endures repetitive movements or gripping, including the following:
- kitting
- Carpentry
- Typing
- Raking
- Painting
Tennis Elbow Treatment:
Typically the injury will heal on its own without any treatment. To speed up the healing process, here is what you should include:
- Icing your elbow
- Using an elbow strap
- Performing range of motion exercises
- Physical Therapy
- Steroid Injections
- Anti-inflammatory medication
Tennis Elbow Surgical Options
In rare cases when tennis elbow does not heal with conservative methods, you might need to have your damaged tendon removed. There are two different ways the surgery can be achieved, one is arthroscopy, and another is open surgery. Depending on your specific case, you can awake or asleep during the surgery.
For a preferred elbow specialist in South Florida, schedule a consultation today. Offices are located in Boca Raton, Deerfield Beach, Coral Springs, Plantation, and Fort Lauderdale.