Tennis elbow is a very painful condition and is very common in those who use a repetitive action and so, is a recurring problem in many sports. The name suggests it impacts tennis players in the main but, the problem is wide-spread as are most repetitive joint or tendon injuries. In fact, only 5 out of every 100-people suffering from it contracted it by playing a racquet sport.

It is a gradually-occurring condition that often starts with tenderness or aches and pains in the joint area. This can also lead to pain in the forearm and even, the back of the hand. The pain can be slight or, intense. Most of the pain will come as a result of movement including lifting or bending the arm. It can be debilitating.  It is possible to get this injury through banging the elbow too.

 

Symptoms

  • Discomfort or pain around the elbow or upper forearm.
  • Pain when raising or bending the arm.
  • Pain or discomfort when gripping small objects.
  • Any twisting action like turning a door handle will cause pain.
  • A feeling of stiffness when the arm is fully extended.

Tennis elbow will cause many problems on a day to day basis. It may make sufferers take time away from the workplace, but it can certainly ruin a sport’s persons potential. Most cases of tennis elbow will usually disappear between a six month – two-year period but in a sporting career, this could be devastating. Certainly, it would be difficult to make up for the loss of training time.

 

What happens?

The cause of all this discomfort and pain is through tiny tears that occur when the tendons or muscles are strained constantly in a repetitive way. Simply, it is caused by overuse. This mostly happens around the boney lump on the outside of the elbow.  It is very common when doing an activity that the body is unaccustomed too, but, where the same action in a sports-related environment is required, it may recur many times.

 

Treatment and Prevention

Even though tennis elbow will usually correct itself over time, it can be important to manage the pain and avoid further injury. One of the most efficient ways to avoid further pain is to simply rest but of course that is not always possible. Pain management is important but this is not a cure and so, other treatments are likely to be required.

 

  • Cold compresses can work well if held against the elbow for a few minutes several times a day.
  • Surgery can be a solution but only normally in extreme conditions. It stands to reason that the activity that caused the over strain should be avoided if possible.

 

It is also very important to be careful of injuring it further or over-compensating and affecting other parts of the body due to biomechanics. You may find that moderating the way you lift, or stretch will cause problems with other joints. This is why professional medical advice is important, not just to manage pain but to aid healing and to prevent further injury. Corticosteroid injections are sometimes used to treat this painful condition but usually just for the short term. Stem cell therapy can provide a boost to healing potential as they stimulate regeneration of collagen and elastin.