Tennis elbow is a condition that causes pain around the outside of the elbow.
It’s clinically known as lateral epicondylitis.
It often happens after overuse or repeated action of the muscles of the forearm, near the elbow joint.
You may notice pain on the outside of the elbow, which may travel down the forearm when:
- lifting or bending your arm
- when gripping small objects, such as a pen
- when twisting your forearm, such as turning a door handle or opening a jar
You may also find it difficult to fully extend your arm.
What causes tennis elbow?
Tennis elbow is usually caused by overusing the muscles attached to your elbow and used to straighten your wrist. If the muscles are strained, tiny tears and inflammation can develop near the bony lump (the lateral epicondyle) on the outside of your elbow.
As the name suggests, tennis elbow is sometimes caused by playing tennis, but any activity that puts repeated stress on the elbow joint can cause it.
Pain that occurs on the inner side of the elbow is known as golfer’s elbow.
Here is a very good video regarding Tennis Elbow and its management; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOueY1l_X0U
If you would like a specialist physio to assess your elbow pain and help you manage this and speed up your recovery please click here to book an appointment.