Contrary to the name, tennis elbow is not a condition that describes the pain only a tennis player would encounter. This condition is actually found mostly in individuals who spend extensive time using the computer. This is no surprise, as your wrists and forearm muscles are in constant use when operating a computer.
Tennis Elbow is a combination of chronic exhaustion and irritation in the common extensor tendons and muscles on back of the forearm. These muscles and tendons are the ones responsible for lifting and extending the fingers and wrist. This condition is more than inflammation in the tendons, it stems from the overuse of these tendons and forearm muscles classified as a ‘repetitive strain injury’.
Typically, there are different symptoms associated with muscle pain and tendon pain when it comes to this injury. If you are feeling hot and sharp pain in your elbow, you are most likely experiencing pain from your common extensor tendons. However, if you are feeling an ache spread out along with back of your arm, it’s reasonable to assume that might be muscle pain.
Unfortunately, researchers have not yet found a cure for tennis elbow and treatment can vary from patient to patient. Traditionally, tennis elbow was defined as inflammation of the area but in reality, studies have not proven if inflammation is always involved. Tennis elbow is very similar to ‘golfer’s elbow’ except for the area of pain in the elbow. Golfer’s elbow is when the pain is located on the inside of the elbow where these tendons are responsible for the flexing of the wrist, not the extension. In comparison, tennis elbow pain is felt on the outside of the elbow where the muscles and common extensor tendon work together to lift the wrist and fingers.
There is no cure for tennis elbow, but there are a few remedies that might help.
The most important of these remedies and the first one to try should always be rest. The injury will not repair itself if you don’t take the time to rest and recover. Along with rest, you can benefit from light exercise to stimulate the muscles in this area. If you are experiencing a repetitive strain injury, a balance of exercise and rest is a great place to start your recovery process.
At Results, our physical therapists specialize in manual therapy. Manual therapy is using hands-on techniques to access the root of the problem and manipulate the muscles and joints in the body to reduce pain and increase mobility. When treating tennis elbow, we typically use soft-tissue release techniques to prevent adhesions where the tendons in the arm attach as well as releasing tightness in the muscle flexors. Joint mobilization to the elbow has been found to improve grip strength, decrease pain and improve function.
If you feel like you are suffering from tennis elbow and would like to speak or meet with one of our physical therapists, give us a call and we can schedule a free consultation. Our therapists can assess your injuries, find the root of the pain, help alleviate pain through manual therapy and finally, we can create a personalized treatment plan for you that will incorporate rest and exercise best suited to you.
