What is Tennis Elbow?
Tennis elbow is a very common condition with approx. one in three people suffering from it at some point. Clinically known as lateral epicondylitis, is a condition that causes pain around the outside of the elbow. It is very common amongst sports people. Tennis elbow usually occurs with overuse of the muscles and tendons in the forearm and around the elbow joint.
Tennis Elbow Pain
You may feel pain on the outside of your upper forearm, or below the bend of your elbow joint. Pain is common when lifting or bending your elbow. Movements such as gripping small objects, or twisting your forearm can be very painful. Fully extending your arm may also be difficult.
What causes Tennis Elbow?
The elbow joint is surrounded by muscles that move your wrist, fingers and elbow. The muscles and bones in the elbow joint are connected by tendons that control the muscles in the forearm.
Stress resulting from overuse of the forearms muscles is what normally causes tennis elbow. Straining the muscles and tendons attached to the elbow joint can cause tiny tears and inflammation to develop near the bone on the outside of the elbow.
Tennis elbow can be caused by playing tennis due to the repetitive movement of the forearm hence its name. However, it can also be caused by other activities that place repetitive strain on the muscle, such as decorating or repetitive tasks at work.
Treating Tennis Elbow
Chiropractic is a highly effective method of treating tennis elbow. Our chiropractors will examine the wrist, shoulder and neck, as these can be related to the cause of tennis elbow. Often, it is a long-term issue, so it is recommended that you see one of our specialists so they can examine your arms and neck, and discuss what is best for you.
Common symptoms
- Pain on the outside of your elbow
- Difficulty extending your arm
- Stiffness
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