Lateral epicondylitis or commonly referred to as tennis elbow is a painful condition infecting the region of the elbow. This is an inflammation and degeneration of tendons that connect with the bony enlargement of the lateral epicondyle in the elbow. The main purpose of these tendons is one to enable extension and to provide support to the wrist and fingers. It should be noted that tennis elbow is not exclusive to the tennis players; anyone who overuses the forearm muscles in painting or typing or using any other equipment where twisting and turning is required will have this problem.
Symptoms of Tennis Elbow
The main sign of tennis elbow is pain on the lateral side of the elbow. This pain is often made worse by those tasks that involve grip, twist or rotational movement of the wrist and arm.
Some common symptoms include:
1. Tenderness over the enlarged bony prominence located at the lateral aspect of the elbow joint.
2. General instability when attempting to catch something with the hand, gain a firmer hold on an object, or bend the wrist.
3. Pain and stiffness for the movements and the attempt to fully straighten the arm.
4. Can include inability to perform basic tasks or tasks that require fine motor skills, like opening a jar’s lid or twisting a doorknob
Causes of Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow is characterized by inflammation and degeneration of muscles at the elbow, most especially the muscles in the forearm. This normally occurs because the muscles and tendons used by the lower limbs are worked so hard.
Some common causes include:
1. Repetitive motion activities, for example, painting, hammering, or typing, where the forearm and the wrist muscles are repeatedly contracted.
2. Forces that act in the vertical direction, such as in tennis and basketball games or golfing.
3. Sluggishness, such as using a backhand tennis swing or holding a tool inappropriately.
4. Osteophytes or osteoarthritis of the radial and ulnar articulation.
5. Swelling with fractures or any kind of level of injury that had cause harm to elbow.
6. Some people are genetically predisposed to this condition, or they have other medical conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or gout, which also trigger tennis elbow.
Recommended treatment plans for tennis elbow.
The solution for the disease is frequently analogous to the treatment of tennis elbow, primarily concentrating on the alleviation of pain accompanied by swelling and rehabilitation of the involved tendons.
These treatment options can be broadly classified into:
1. Conservative (Non-surgical) treatments:
Rest: Try to stay away from anything that triggers your problem. Just provide some time for the affected area to recover.
Ice: One should use ice on the affected area for about 15 to 20 minutes every third or fourth hour to minimize inflammation.
Compression: To prevent swelling, the injured part of the arm should be wrapped with an elastic bandage, and the elbow, in particular, should be put in a position where the hand will not be able to come into contact with it.
Elevation: Avoid lifting anything with the injured arm, moving the arm in positions that aggravate pain, and writing or typing with that hand to minimize inflammation; the affected area only rest with the palm facing upwards, keeping it at a level higher than the heart.
Physical therapy: Flexed and stretched movements of the forearm are other ways of making forearm muscles flexible and strong.
Over-the-counter pain relievers: You can also take prescription drugs like aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen to reduce the pain and inflammation.
Medical treatments:
Steroid injections: Cervical radiculitis (radicular pain) is also relieved by topical applications of corticosteroids and through infiltration of the affected area with these agents.
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy: PRP is the local administration of a high concentration of the patient’s blood platelets in order to help manage the healing process and alleviate pain.
Surgical treatments:
Tenotomy or tendoatrophy: These minor procedures involve a fine needles or blades to puncture the injured tendons or to shave off damaged parts of the tendon.
Open surgery: Generally used when other treatments haven’t worked. In open surgery, the necrotic part of the tendon is resected, and the tendon sheath is debulked to avoid additional friction.
Can Tennis Elbow Be Prevented?
To prevent tennis elbow, it is essential to:
1. Before any of the strenuous exercises, make sure you warm up and stretch.
2. Always practice the right method and tools when participating in sports or doing other repetitive activities.
3. To prevent stress on forearm muscles and tendon take frequent breaks especially while performing activities like writing, typing, knitting or sewing.
4. The exercises such as lifting weights or other resistance training will increase the strength of the forearm muscles.
Tennis elbow is often a chronic and painful affliction for a great number of sufferers. Medical supervision is key in eliminating problems and in the management and elimination of symptoms to effect a cure. Regular exercise and the right techniques will finally go a long way toward preventing tennis elbow to begin with.
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