Tennis elbow develops when the tendon which attaches your forearm to the muscles of the upper arm becomes damaged and swollen – the medical term for this is lateral epicondylitis or common extensor tendinopathy, as it affects the outside of your elbow bone. This is a common condition which studies show affects up to three in 100 people, and it’s common in people aged between 40 and 60 – however, anyone can develop it. It can last up to two years depending on the severity. It’s caused by repeatedly overusing the muscles in your arm, or by a minor injury, and gets worse if you continue the activity which leads to the pain. If you feel pain or tenderness on the outside of your elbow, or in the muscles in the forearm, it’s likely you may have tennis elbow, as these are common signs. Common symptoms involve pain when gripping something, such as a pen or shaking someone’s hand; twisting your forearm, such as turning a door handle; using a keyboard or a mouse, or fully extending your arm. There are self help treatments which can help to ease the pain, but if your symptoms don’t improve after a few weeks, you should seek advice from your GP or a physiotherapist.
The condition gets its name from the fact that playing racket sports, such as tennis or badminton, can lead to this pain in your elbow. This is because repeatedly overusing your elbow and forearm leads to pain and swelling in the joint, but of course there are other activities which can cause it. For example, using a screwdriver, using a keyboard and mouse, sewing or knitting, painting and gardening. It’s rare, but sometimes you may even damage the tendon after a single and minor incident, such as through lifting something heaving, which can lead to a small tear in the tendon. On these occasions, tennis elbow can be caused through an injury rather than a repetitive activity. You don’t ever really need to see a doctor for tennis elbow, but if your symptoms get worse and don’t improve with self-help measures, then you should seek medical advice. Over the counter painkillers can help to ease the pain and swelling that you may experience with tennis elbow. Self help consists of resting the elbow, in order to give the tendon chance to recover, and applying a cold compress to ease the pain and swelling. You may find it helpful to wear a strap or brace, in order to relieve the strain placed on your tendon. You should also change the activity which is causing the problem, to stop it developing again – this may meaning changing up your routine at work, or easing up on the exercise of an evening.
There are ways to prevent tennis elbow from developing, such as warming-up before exercise to give the muscles chance to adjust to the extra strain they will be under. You should try to take regular breaks where possible, to give the muscles and the joint a chance to recover briefly, and rest between sessions so that you aren’t placing constant stress on your joints. If you notice any pain in your joints, you should avoid playing sport or carrying on with any activity that you notice worsens your symptoms. You may find getting professional advice on how to play racket sports more efficiently, too, which could limit the strain you place on your joints. If your problem repeatedly returns, or the symptoms don’t improve, seek advice from your GP who can advise of ways to reduce the pain.
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