Incidents of tennis elbow are on the rise. Roughly half the cases are attributable to racquet sports – such as tennis and racquetball. However, many others who suffer from it don’t play these sports.
Tennis elbow is caused by repetitive motion of the forearm muscles, which attach to the outside of your elbow. Any repetitive movement can cause it. This might include:
- Painting with a brush or roller
- Using a chainsaw
- Regular use of hand tools
- Repeated hand motions during work, including vocations such as butchers, dentists, musicians, auto workers, and carpenters.
What Is Tennis Elbow?
Tennis elbow, medically known as lateral epicondylitis, is the swelling of the tendons that bend your wrist backward away from your palm.
Tendons are the tough cords of tissue that connect your muscles to bones. The tendon most frequently involved in tennis elbow is called the exterior carpi radialis brevis. This condition occurs more frequently in individuals between the ages of 40 and 60, and as many as 10 million Americans may suffer from it at one point.
When Does It Become Important To See a Doctor for Tennis Elbow?
If you have pain on the outside of your elbow that won’t seem to go away, you could have tennis elbow. The pain can travel from the outside of the elbow into the forearm and wrist. If you are suffering from it, you may notice pain or weakness when you shake hands, turn a doorknob, or hold a cup of coffee.
Initially, you can try self-care, such as rest, ice, and over-the-counter pain relievers. But if those efforts don’t ease your elbow pain and tenderness in a month or so, it’s time to make an appointment to see a doctor.
If you wait too long and your elbow pain persists, the tendon may continue to stay inflamed. In some cases, it may even begin to degenerate with a condition called tendinosis. At that point, the tendon’s collagen fibers break down, become hard, scarred, and rubbery – and don’t recover.
Conservative Options for Tennis Elbow Pain
When a patient visits their doctor to discuss tennis elbow pain, medical history, and an exam are often enough to diagnose tennis elbow. However, they may also conduct X-rays, ultrasound, or other imaging tests if they suspect something else might be causing your symptoms.
A physiatrist or orthopedic surgeon may advise a “wait-and-see” approach for patients whose symptoms are not severe. In this case, they’ll recommend modifying, reducing, or stopping activities that may aggravate the condition altogether. Full recovery may take several months or longer.
These recommendations may be coupled with over-the-counter pain relievers and ice to reduce pain. Physical therapy may also be effective by strengthening surrounding muscles, although it must be done carefully, as some exercises may further aggravate the pain.
Your doctor may also recommend a forearm cuff or brace to reduce pressure on the tendon. These braces distribute the forces in the forearm and can relieve pain in certain types of injuries.
However, when a patient’s symptoms persist or they do not achieve adequate relief from more conservative measures, a doctor may determine that a corticosteroid injection is appropriate.
Corticosteroid Treatment for Tennis Elbow
Corticosteroids are prescription anti-inflammatory medications. They can relieve elbow pain for some patients in the short term.
However, long-term, repeated corticosteroid treatments have risks. If overused, they can permanently weaken the tendon.
PRP Treatment for Tennis Elbow
Your doctor may also recommend platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatments to try to heal injured tendons.
With this procedure, your doctor will take a sample of your blood and then process it to concentrate platelets. Platelets are your body’s natural proteins that encourage healing. Then, they’ll inject that blood sample into your elbow.
Everyone’s body is different, so each patient will have a slightly different PRP composition. In addition, younger patients have more robust platelets than older patients. Accordingly, outcomes with this treatment can vary widely. And because PRP is an emerging treatment that has yet to be FDA-approved, insurance does not cover it.
Surgery for Tennis Elbow
Most people don’t need surgery to repair tennis elbow. In the cases where it is appropriate, it is generally an outpatient procedure conducted by an orthopedic surgeon.
Preventing Tennis Elbow
The best ways to prevent tennis elbow include:
- Avoid repetitive movements: Repetitive movements can injure your tendons.
- Warm up and cool down: Stretching and warming up before and after physical activity can help prevent tennis elbow.
- Use the right equipment: Make sure your tennis equipment is the right size for you, including the racquet handle and head, and the strings.
- Take breaks: Taking frequent breaks can help you avoid overtaxing your body.
- Use proper technique: Make sure you’re using the correct techniques and movements during activities.
- Strengthen your muscles: Strengthening the muscles in your arm, shoulder, and upper back can help prevent tennis elbow.
- Ice down: Icing down your arm after heavy use can help reduce inflammation.
- Don’t play through pain: Stop doing any activity that causes pain or find alternate ways to do it.