Tennis Elbow 101: What You Need to Know
Tennis elbow, also known as lateral epicondylitis, is the most common cause of elbow pain. It is characterised by pain located on the outside aspect of the elbow. Despite the name, tennis elbow affects only about 10% of tennis players. The majority of cases occur in individuals with jobs that involve repetitive wrist and elbow movements, such as bricklayers or hairdressers.
Tennis elbow is usually an overuse injury and tends to occurs due to the repetitive overuse of the forearm muscles that extend the wrist. Over time, these muscles become weak and eventually irritate the tendon that attaches these forearm muscles to the elbow bone. The most commonly implicated forearm muscle in tennis elbow is the extensor carpi radialis brevis (ECRB).
The process behind this tendon irritation was once thought to be inflammatory, but research now suggests that it is more degenerative in nature.
Extensive research indicates that non-invasive treatment is the most effective and appropriate initial approach for tennis elbow, and should be tried before considering injection therapy or surgery.
Our top tips for managing tennis elbow are:
Avoid or Reduce Aggravating Movements: Temporarily avoid or reduce activities that worsen the pain (e.g., Avoid or use lighter dumbbells in a Pilates class or gym).
Wear a Brace: If you cannot avoid the movement, wearing a brace can be a great way to reduce aggravation.
Lift with Palm Facing Upwards: This puts less stress on the outside aspect of the elbow (e.g., lifting a grocery bag with your palm up).
Strengthen ECRB: Strengthen the extensor carpi radialis brevis.
Strengthen Other Contributing Weak Muscles: Focus on strengthening any other weak muscles that might be contributing (e.g., shoulder and scapular muscles).
Osteopathy Treatment: Seek Osteopathy treatment for symptomatic relief and to assess the upper limb to determine the underlying cause of your tennis elbow.
Give these top tips a go and see if you notice the difference!