Tennis Elbow - Care Guide

Tennis Elbow or Lateral Epicondylitis is a condition when the outer part of the elbow becomes painful and tender, usually as a result of a specific strain or overuse of the muscles which are attached to the bone at this part of the elbow - the wrist extensors. They are the muscles which pull the hand backwards. All the extensor muscles of the hand attach to the elbow at the outer part (the lateral epicondyle). If they are strained or over used they become inflamed, therefore they become swollen, painful and tender to touch.

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Description of Tennis Elbow

Tennis elbow, one of the most common stress injuries of the arm, is a type of tendinitis that at some point afflicts almost one-third of all Americans who play tennis. Yet tennis players are not the only persons at risk, since any activity that calls for forceful, repeated contraction of the arm muscles can bring on tennis elbow. Working with carpentry tools, gardening, raking leaves, or even tightly gripping a heavy briefcase are only a few of the activities that can cause tennis elbow. Baseball, golf, bowling, racket sports, and even playing darts can bring it on.

Who Gets Tennis Elbow?

To some extent, this depends on the condition of your muscles and how much they are overused. In tennis, the injury occurs most frequently among recreational players who are 35 to 50 years of age, when muscles have begun to lose their resiliency and who play at least two or three times weekly. Occasional players are less vulnerable as they tend not to play often enough or hard enough to overstress their arms. Pros are generally protected by superior conditioning and technique, although they too can develop tennis elbow as they grow older.

Tennis Elbow Symptoms

Unfortunately tennis elbow can occur even you try to avoid it as much as possible. It's not the end of the world if you suddenly have tennis elbow symptoms - don't worry your career isn't over. Here is a list of tennis elbow symptoms:

• Inflammation and pain on the outside of the elbow.
• Weakness in the wrist.
• Weak hand grip.
• When you bend your elbow backwards you feel some pain. (Without resistance).
• Pain when your fingers are straightened without resistance.

All these tennis elbow symptoms won't always appear when you have tennis elbow.  Generally out of all these tennis elbow symptoms, only one or two will be felt.

Home Treatment Options for Tennis Elbow

Professional Treatment for Elbow Pain

When preventative and home treatment measures are not enough your health care professional may recommend these treatments. Only follow these treatments when instructed to by a health care professional. Treatments include:

• Icing the wrist to reduce inflammation and increase blood flow
• Wearing elbow splints to immobilize the elbow and reduce repetitive trauma
• Wearing a counter-force brace to take pressure off the tendon
• Using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to decrease the swelling and manage pain
• Ultrasound therapy to reduce swelling and fluid build up
• Cortisone injection to treat the inflammation
• Extra-corporeal shock wave therapy to stimulate tendon healing
• Topical nitric oxide to speed tennis elbow recovery
• Physical therapy and exercise to strengthen the injured area
• Surgery

Surgery is a last option for treatment of tennis elbow. In severe cases of acute trauma where large tears are formed in the tendon surgery may be able to repair some damage. In severe cases of repetitive stress induced tennis elbow surgery may also be considered, specifically if symptoms do not lessen after a year of rest and rehabilitation of the affected elbow.

Prevention of Tennis Elbow

Fortunately, if you suffer from tennis elbow, all-natural products can help you remedy the problem. The best solution of all? Supply your joints with all of the nutrients they need. Your joints will thank you for it, and you can go through life without wincing from elbow joint pain.

Some tips for preventing injury include the following:

• Even after you feel you have overcome a case of this condition continue to use your arm sparingly. Always warm up your arm for 5 to 10 minutes before starting any activity involving your elbow.  Perform warm-up and cool-down exercises before and after tennis play that includes stretching the muscles in the arm.
• Use appropriately-sized tennis equipment. Racquet handles and heads that are too big or too small or strings that are too tight or too loose can put more stress on the elbow.
• Evaluate poor tennis technique that may be contributing to the problem. Learn new ways to play that avoid repeated stress on the joints.