Your doctor diagnoses the pain in your elbow as a “tennis elbow”. Well, did it not puzzle you as you have never held a tennis racquet in your life? While it is true that tennis players are more prone to get it; all the same you don’t have to be a tennis player to suffer from tennis elbow. Anyone can develop this very painful condition if the tendons and muscles of the wrist and the arm are overworked.
Understanding Tennis Elbow
A tendon is a tough, flexible structure in the body that connects muscle to a bone. The muscles in the body are responsible for creating movement in the body. When the muscles tighten to create motion, the tendons act as an elastic band, and this in turn will move the bones to cause bodily movements. The tendon involved in tennis elbow is attached from the forearm muscles to the bony part of the arm outside of the elbow. With excessive or repeated use of the arm and the elbow, stress develops on this tendon that helps an individual straighten his/her wrist and fingers. Small tears in the tendon develop and become inflamed and if these injuries are not allowed to heal fully, they can tear again, leading to the formation of rough and bumpy tissue. The inflamed tendon can also cut off blood flow and compress the radial nerve, which is one of the major nerves that control the muscles in the arm and hand. This causes pain when the arm is used for even simple movements such as turning a door knob.
Risk of tennis elbow is increased in individuals who use their hands excessively during routine work or as part of their daily profession. For example, it is seen in persons working as plumbers, painters, gardeners, and carpenters. The tendons in the elbow can also be injured by overuse of the forearm muscles in repeated actions such as using scissors or typing. Other risk factors include sports activities that involve throwing movements, swimming, tennis, or squash. This is also seen in sport persons such as golfers and fencers. A person may also be prone to it if he/she resumes play after not having played for a long time.
Symptoms
A person suffering from tennis elbow may experience varying degrees of pain and soreness of the elbow, ranging from a mild discomfort when the arm is used to an ache severe enough to interfere with sleep. Pain experienced is usually on the outside of the elbow that may radiate down the forearm. The pain develops over a period of days, weeks, or even months. The pain is made worse by gripping or twisting movements or on doing simple tasks such as opening a door handle or shaking hands with someone. Other symptoms may include morning stiffness, muscle weakness, and aching pain throughout the day.
Diagnosis
The doctor will ask questions about activities that trigger the pain and also the location of the pain. The doctor may seek to know details of any injuries sustained to the arm or elbow anytime in the past. Simple tests may help the doctor evaluate the forearm muscles. Tests may include straightening the wrist and fingers against resistance with the arm fully straight to see if this causes pain. If the tests are positive, it is indicative that those muscles may not be healthy. X-ray of the elbow may be done to evaluate if the elbow bone was injured and help rule out other possible causes of elbow pain. Tests such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans are rarely used to diagnose tennis elbow.
Treatment
The first thing advised by the doctor for tennis elbow is rest, as it is the most effective therapy for pain relief. The doctor may instruct to apply ice over the affected area or take medications such as ibuprofen to ease pain. Corticosteroid medication is a safe pain reliever and this may be injected into the painful area of the elbow. In some individuals, the pain may never return after having a steroid injection while in others, the relief from pain is only for a short time, probably only a few weeks.
The doctor may refer the person to a physical therapist who will advise to wear a wrist splint or forearm band. These splints can help to relieve symptoms and promote healing. The therapists will teach specific exercises for strengthening the muscles of the forearm. This may be done along with ultrasound, ice massage, or muscle-stimulating techniques to improve muscle healing.
Surgery would be recommended by the doctor if the symptoms do not respond after 6 to 12 months despite following the above-mentioned measures. In the surgical procedure, the diseased muscle is removed and the healthy muscle is reattached back to bone. After this procedure, the elbow is usually placed in a small splint.
Self-Care
The occurrence of tennis elbow can be reduced or controlled at the work place by minimizing the use of the same muscles repetitively. Measures such as the use of machines to avoid doing one activity for a long time with the hands, and involving in variety of tasks so as to use different sets of muscles while working are effective in preventing tennis elbow. Before playing a sport that involves repetitive arm movements, such as tennis, or squash, it may be a good idea to get some professional advice about the right technique. Also warming up beforehand and gently stretching the arm muscles will help avoid injury and strain to the elbow. Simple measures such as using lightweight tools, and correct size of racquets, and enlarging their grip size, will help prevent putting excess strain on the tendons of the arm. It is best to take the advice of a physiotherapist, who will suggest suitable exercises to strengthen the forearm muscles and prevent tennis elbow from occurring.
Not Just Tennis
Tennis elbow is a very uncomfortable condition with severe pain that occurs because of overuse of the arms and wrists. Not only sports personalities but also individuals who use their hands excessively such as plumbers, gardeners, and carpenters are also equally affected. The condition may get bothersome as it may interfere and cause pain even with simple tasks such as opening a door handle or shaking hands with someone. Professional advice on exercises to strengthen the arm muscle, and minimizing work related stress on the tendon can go a long way to prevent tennis elbow from occurring.
