Tennis elbow is a painful condition that happens when the tendons in the elbow are overworked, like repetitive motions of the wrist and arm. This condition is most common in people who are playing tennis as well as other professions. Pain of the tennis elbow happen on the area in which the tendons of the muscles in the forearms are attached to a bony lump on the exterior of the elbow, and it can spread into the forearm and wrist. Resting and over-the-counter pain relievers can help relieve tennis elbow. You can enroll in a first aid course to learn more on how to provide relief to these symptoms.
[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAy8q7yJAHM” width=”220″]Symptoms
The pain associated with tennis elbow comes from the outside portion of the elbow and spreads to the forearm and wrist.
- A mild elbow pain and gradually worsens
- Pain coming from the outside portion of the elbow and spreading to the forearm and the wrist.
- Very weak in grasping objects
- There is increased pain when the person shakes hands or squeezes an object and pain when lifting objects, difficulty in using tools, opening jars, or using a toothbrush or utensils.
Any action that involves monotonous twisting of the wrist can cause tennis elbow like tennis as well as other racket sports, swimming and golfing. Even using a key, using a screw driver, hammer, typing in the computer can also cause tennis elbow.
The tendon is the part of the muscle that is attached to the bone. The forearm muscles are attached to the outer bone in the elbow. Tennis elbow happens when a muscle in the forearm which is the extensor carpi radialis brevis muscle is damaged. The muscle also stabilizes the wrist when the elbow is in a straight position. Repetitive stress will weaken these muscles and causing minuscule tears in the tendon of the muscle at the area where it is attached to the exterior side of the elbow. These tears will produce inflammation and pain.
Treatment and home remedies for tennis elbow
- The first thing the person does is rest the arm for several weeks. The doctor can apply a brace to help immobilize the affected muscles.
- Placing an ice pack over the elbow to help reduce inflammation and to relieve pains.
- Over-the-counter medications like aspirin and ibuprofen helps reduce pain and swelling of the affected area.
- The therapist will give the patient some techniques to strengthen muscles in the forearm and promote healing. These are exercises, ice massage and muscle-stimulating techniques.
- If there is inflammation, the doctor may decide to inject a corticosteroid medication directly into the affected area in reducing inflammation.
- The patient can be given an experimental treatment that involves sound waves to the elbow in promoting the body’s own healing process.
Tennis elbow can be prevented by
- Using the right equipment and proper technique for each kind of sport or task that is undertaken like the size of the racquet.
- Doing exercises to maintain the strength and flexibility of the arm.
- Icing the elbow when doing some strenuous activity.
- Resting the elbow if there is pain in bending and straightening the arm.