What Is Tennis Elbow?

Lateral epicondylitis, commonly known as tennis elbow, is a condition characterized by inflammation and microtears of the tendons that attach to the lateral epicondyle. This overuse injury is typically caused by repetitive muscle contractions in the forearm and is often associated with activities such as tennis, painting, hammering, typing, gardening, and playing musical instruments.

While similar in nature, tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow differ in terms of location, with golfer’s elbow occurring on the inside of the elbow and tennis elbow on the outside. Both conditions are a form of tendonitis, which is the inflammation of the tendons.

Causes

Tennis elbow, also known as lateral epicondylitis, typically results from repetitive strain on the forearm muscles. However, it can also occur due to direct trauma, such as a fall, car accident, or work-related injury. Although the condition is commonly associated with tennis players who use improper technique while hitting backhand strokes, it can affect anyone engaging in activities that involve frequent and repeated forearm movements.
Examples of such activities include:

  • Painting
  • Hammering
  • Typing
  • Raking
  • Weaving
  • Gardening
  • Lifting heavy objects
  • Playing musical instruments

Symptoms

Tennis elbow is characterized by several signs and symptoms that include:

  • Gradually worsening pain in the elbow
  • Pain on the outer side of the elbow that can spread to the forearm and wrist when grasping objects
  • Weak grip strength
  • Painful grip
  • Exacerbated elbow pain when the wrist is bent back.

Treatment Of Tennis Elbow

Conservative treatment options are usually recommended by doctors for tennis elbow. These may include:

  • Resting the arm and avoiding activities that worsen the symptoms
  • Wearing splints or braces to reduce stress on the affected tissues
  • Applying ice packs to the elbow to reduce swelling
  • Taking anti-inflammatory medications or receiving steroid injections to reduce pain and swelling

Physical therapy for strengthening and stretching exercises once symptoms have decreased
Pulsed ultrasound to increase blood flow and promote healing in the affected tendons
If conservative treatments fail to improve symptoms after 6-12 months, your doctor may recommend lateral epicondyle release surgery. The surgeon will decide whether to use the traditional open method (single large incision) or endoscopic surgery (2-3 small incisions and a narrow lighted tube with a camera) based on your individual needs.

During surgery, the surgeon will move aside soft tissues to view the extensor tendon and its attachment on the lateral epicondyle. The tendon will be trimmed or released, reattached to the bone, and any scar tissue or bone spurs will be removed. The incision(s) will be closed with sutures or tape.