If your elbow is tender to touch or painful when you lift or grip, you may have “tennis elbow”. Tennis elbow is also called lateral epicondylitis and is the most common reason for elbow pain. The pain is caused by an inflammation or degeneration of the tendon that attaches to the outside of your elbow. This tendon is stressed when you overuse your forearm muscles to move your wrist, grip frequently or grip for a long time. People who work with their hands or play racquet sports are at the greatest risk for this injury, but it can be caused by any work or leisure activities that involve repeated hand and wrist motion. The pain usually begins gradually and can progress over time. The symptoms include burning on the outside of your elbow, which increases when you use your arm. Gripping, lifting or pressing on the outside of your elbow can also increase your pain. The pain can radiate down your forearm in severe cases. Non-surgical treatment is successful 80 to 90 percent of the time. Therapy can resolve your pain and allow you to use your arm again.
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Always lift with your palms up. It takes the strain off the tendon causing the pain.
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Place an ice pack on the area of pain for 20 minutes. Do this treatment 5 or 6 times a day if you can, until you notice the pain subsiding.
- Wear a tennis elbow brace just below the elbow. It will allow the tendon to rest and heal.
Phase I: Decrease your pain
Resting your arm, modifying your activities to prevent further injury, taking anti-inflammatory medications as prescribed by your doctor and using treatment techniques begin the relief of your pain. Iontophoresis (a medicated patch) can be used to deliver medication directly to your elbow to reduce pain and inflammation. Low level laser therapy has shown promising results in promoting tissue healing and decreasing pain. A tennis elbow brace may be recommended to support the muscles and remind you to rest.Phase II: Stretch to promote healthy tissue
Stretching increases circulation, decreases muscle spasms and promotes healing. You are instructed in a home program to be performed several times a day. Your therapist may begin massage to promote healing.
Phase III: Strength prevents further injury When the pain has decreased a strengthening program will begin for the muscles around your elbow as well as general strengthening to help prevent reoccurrence.
- Continuing activities that cause pain. Pain is an indication you are continuing to injure your arm.
- Elbow pain that occurs at night or while you are resting. This may be a sign that your condition is becoming more severe.
- Pain that lasts more than three months. Typically, the longer you have pain the longer it will take to resolve your symptoms.