Tennis elbow
What is Tennis Elbow ?
Tennis elbow is clinically known as lateral epicondylitis.
Symptoms can include pain:
over the outside of your elbow and upper arm.
when lifting or gripping objects
when twisting your forearm
Why does it happen ?
Many muscles and tendons of the hand and forearm fix closely to the outer aspect of the elbow. Overuse can result in inflammation and micro tears of the tendons, resulting in pain.
Although the name suggests tennis is a major cause of the condition, anything that repeatedly stresses the elbow joint can trigger the tennis elbow.
Diagnosis
A detailed history of symptoms and elbow examination will provide many clues to the cause symptoms. Further routine investigations include an elbow X ray and ultrasound scan to aid making the right diagnosis.
Treatment
There does not appear to be a clear ‘winning treatment’ that always work. Treatments are introduced in a stepwise approach.
Activity modification - reducing the repetitive elbow stress can help.
Pain medication - may help reduce pain and inflammation of the effected tendons.
Physiotherapy - maintains elbow and hand strength, which can reduce the irritation and inflammation.
Injections - steroid injections, correctly placed, can reduce pain and inflammation of the effected tendons. Repeated steroid injections are not advised.
Dry needling - Under local anaesthetic, and ultrasound guidance, a needle is repeatedly passed into the effected tendon.
Surgery - Rarely indicated and must be regarded as the last treatment option. Open surgery can can be performed through a 5-10cm.