If you suffer from elbow pain, that just won’t go away, then it is likely you are suffering from Tennis Elbow. Lateral Epicondylitis, also known as “Tennis Elbow”, is the most common overuse injury of the elbow joint. Typically, it will present as pain on the outside of the elbow and is aggravated by repetitive activities such as computer use, heavy lifting, and/or gripping activities. For self-help exercises for treating Tennis Elbow, you can go to our Instagram page via a link at the end of this article - “How to Fix Tennis Elbow”. Make sure you follow us on Instagram for more great health and fitness tips and advice.
Essential Anatomy
To better understand lateral epicondylitis, it is important to understand some basic human anatomy.
The elbow joint is made up of three bones: the humerus (upper arm bone), the radius and the ulna (two bones in the forearm). At the far end of the humerus, towards the elbow, there are two epicondyles, one lateral (on the outside) and one medial (on the inside). The muscles that bend the wrist backward connect via a tendon and attach to the lateral epicondyle. When these tendons are put under too much strain, such as repetitive activities, they can become inflamed and irritated, resulting in localised elbow pain.
What causes Tennis Elbow?
Tennis Elbow is typically caused by an increase in activities that load the tendons of this joint. These may include repetitive gripping, lifting, and/or twisting activities, as well as computer work. The tendon tries to adapt to this increased workload and become stronger so it can perform the task more easily in the future. However, in some people, during this process the tendon gradually becomes painful and if left untreated, will become increasingly painful and debilitating.
It is important to rule out other causes of elbow pain with similar symptoms, such as elbow joint arthritis and radial nerve entrapment. In some cases, your neck may be the source of your elbow pain. Your physiotherapist can assess whether this is the case.
Physiotherapy treatment
In all cases of Tennis Elbow, causative factors need to be identified and addressed. These may include:
- Environmental factors (e.g. Poor desk set-up)
- Behavioral factors (e.g. Poor lifting techniques)
- Lack of sufficient breaks when completing repetitive activities
To address these issues, have your desk set up correctly (we can come and do this for you), lift with correct techniques, and change up your activities throughout the day to prevent overloading your elbow.
In addition, problems with flexibility, control, and strength of the wrist and elbow are major causes of Tennis Elbow.
Mobility:
When it comes to elbow injuries, regaining mobility and range of motion is critical in the early stages of your rehabilitation. If soft tissue structures become tight for extended periods of time then they can weaken, which will likely delay your recovery. Your physiotherapist may use hands-on treatment to reduce your muscular tightness, as well as prescribing specific exercises to help improve your mobility following your elbow injury.
Control:
Control refers to the ability of an individual to monitor and adjust their body positions and posture through a variety of different settings. When it comes to Tennis Elbow, control of the upper limb, especially the elbow and wrist, is very important. Your physiotherapist will assess your control to determine if this a contributing factor to the problem.
In many cases, control exercises have a beneficial therapeutic effect as they introduce the body to a safe and pain-free range of motion that the person may not have been aware of.
Strength:
Strength is very important when it comes to the rehabilitation and treatment of Tennis Elbow. Strong and resilient tissues promote optimal function and are less likely to become tight or weak in the future. Therefore, it less likely these structures will send the brain pain signals when under pressure from increased loads or repetitive activities. Your physiotherapist will prescribe strengthening exercises, likely with weights or some other form of resistance, to help increase the ability of the tendon to cope with load and ultimately help relieve your pain.
Summary
In summary, if you are suffering from elbow pain, remember:
- Tennis elbow is very common and easy to fix with physiotherapy treatment
- Changes to your workstation set up, lifting techniques, and taking regular breaks from repetitive activities are effective ways of reducing elbow pain
- Flexibility, control and strength deficits need to be identified and addressed
If you are experiencing elbow pain, book in with your physiotherapist for a thorough assessment using this link – FREE INITIAL ASSESSMENT. Once the cause has been identified the road to recovery can begin.
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