OVERVIEW

What Is Tennis Elbow?

Tennis elbow is an overuse injury that causes inflammation or degeneration of the tendons on the outside of the forearm. These tendons allow you to extend and lift your hand.

Tennis elbow causes

Repeat arm motions cause tennis elbow, such as:

• Hitting a backhand in tennis.
• Raking leaves.
• Constant typing on the computer.

These repeated motions can cause tiny tears in the elbow tendon.

Tennis elbow prevention

For tennis elbow prevention, be sure to:

• Use proper technique when playing tennis, baseball, or other sports.
• Stretch your forearm before tennis matches or other arm dominant sports.
• Perform routine strength exercises.

SYMPTOMS

Tennis elbow symptoms

Symptoms of tennis elbow include:

• Pain on the outside of the elbow that can spread down your arm to your wrist. The pain often starts off mild and then worsens over time.
• Tenderness to the touch over the outside of the elbow
• Pain when extending your wrist or when holding objects, like coffee mugs.

Tennis elbow diagnosis

To diagnose tennis elbow, your physician will take a medical history and do a physical exam — looking at your elbow and the source of pain.

In most cases, you won't need imaging tests unless your symptoms don't improve with tennis elbow treatment.

Your physician may need to do an x-ray to rule out any bone problem or diagnostic ultrasound to determine if there is tissue damage.

TREATMENT

Tennis Elbow Treatment

The goal to treat tennis elbow is to reduce inflammation and pain.

Nonsurgical tennis elbow treatments

The first steps of tennis elbow treatment include:

• Resting your elbow and applying ice. Put an ice pack on your elbow every 10 to 15 minutes a few times a day.
• Stretching and strengthening exercises for your forearm muscles

Your physician may also suggest other nonsurgical tennis elbow treatments such as:

• Physiotherapy
• A counterforce elbow strap
• Cortisone injections to help relieve elbow pain and inflammation.
• Platelet rich plasma (PRP) therapy

 

 

 

 

Content supplemented by UPMC Sports Medicine