Tennis elbow, which is also known as lateral epicondylitis, is a very common problem. Individuals often complain of pain that originates over the outside (lateral) aspect of the elbow. Often, the pain can radiate up the arm and down the forearm with activities.
Tennis elbow is caused when the attachment of a tendon to the outside bone at the end of the humerus is irritated. This tendon attachment can degenerate over time and with normal wear and tear. In Orthopedics, doctors will refer to this degeneration as tendinosis. Unfortunately, tendinosis is often a natural part of the aging process and there is really no way to prevent it.
The tendons that attach to the outside of the elbow also cross the wrist. These tendons connect to both the wrist and fingers. Because of this, when you use your hand or wrist, it will often times also hurt your elbow. For example, if you grab a coffee mug or shake hands, it will hurt your elbow because they are all connected. It may not make sense to have elbow pain when you use your fingers, but it is common, and that connection is the reason the pain occurs.
The good news is that almost no one needs surgery for the tennis elbow. The bad news is that it can take 90% of people 5-6 months to get over tennis elbow. It can be very frustrating as the pain occurs with almost any activity. The mainstay of treatment is a bracing program. We usually recommend two different braces. The most important brace is a simple wrist brace (also called a carpal tunnel brace). It should be worn at night and during the day when the pain is more bothersome. The second brace is a tennis elbow brace(also known as a counterforce brace). This is recommended anytime you are lifting or performing activities such as working out, yardwork or grocery shopping. We also usually recommend a visit to the occupational therapist to learn a simple home therapy program for conditioning and strengthening. Ice and anti-inflammatory medications can be used to help alleviate pain. Finally, it is important to check out the ergonomics of your workstation. When typing, your wrist and hands should be in a straight (neutral) position and not cocked up or down (extension or flexion). This can have a profound negative effect on your pain. If corrected, tennis elbow pain can get better much more quickly.
