Your elbow is a joint necessary for completing daily tasks that you may take for granted, such as opening a jar or turning a steering wheel. While such chores may be an afterthought when you are healthy, pain or tenderness caused by tennis elbow will make you aware of the joint’s many uses. When this occurs, seek help from the trained professionals at Forté Sports Medicine. We provide tennis elbow treatment throughout our clinics in Carmel, Greenwood, Mooresville, Noblesville and Tipton. Our physicians have extensive experience with all sports injuries and the ability to diagnose and treat tennis elbow.
What is Tennis Elbow?
Tennis elbow, also known as lateral epicondylitis or lateral elbow tendinopathy, is a common condition of the upper extremity typically caused by repetitive motions of the arm and wrist. It is a result of tearing or degenerative changes to the tendons that attach to the lateral (outer) side of the elbow. Pain from tennis elbow can cause limitations during work and daily tasks. Tendinopathy is defined as degenerative changes or inflammation of the tendon. Lateral epicondylitis refers to changes within the tendons, specifically those that extend to your wrist and fingers. This muscle group attaches to the lateral epicondyle of your elbow.
What Causes Tennis Elbow?
Tennis elbow is one of the most common causes of elbow pain. Even though it is named for the sport of tennis, this is not the most common cause and most patients have no association with playing tennis. Experts estimate more than 9 in 10 people develop the condition for other reasons. It can begin from any repeated arm movement that may aggravate the extensor muscle tendon or can result from trauma or injury. While it can develop in individuals of any age, it is most prevalent among those between 30-60 years of age, who overuse their arms in routine or athletic activities.
Symptoms of Tennis Elbow
People who develop this condition will report pain at the outer aspect of the involved elbow, pain with gripping and lifting items, and sometimes pain that radiates into the forearm. Those suffering from this condition will usually have tenderness of the bony prominence of the lateral epicondyle and will report functional limitations when using the injured arm. Those with tennis elbow may experience pain with even simple tasks, such as brushing their teeth or gripping lightly with the affected hand. In more severe cases, pain may occur with motion of the elbow to the extent that motion of the joint may be lost.
Tennis Elbow Treatment
We will carefully construct each treatment plan based on factors including the cause of injury as well as our patient’s age and overall health. Occasionally, tennis elbow pain will go away on its own. If it doesn’t, here are potential methods for treating this condition.
Not all potential treatment options will work for everyone.
“Time from initial onset of symptoms to evaluation is important. Delay in evaluation may prolong the course of pain and/or impact the potential recovery. It is important to have the elbow evaluated to determine the best course of treatment,” recommends
Dr. Kelly Graner, an orthopedic surgeon at Forté Sports Medicine and Orthopedics who specializes in the evaluation and treatment of hand, wrist, and elbow conditions.
Contact Us Today!
Patients throughout Indiana trust Forté Sports Medicine for exceptional care related to sports injuries affecting body parts from head to toe. We have specialized equipment at our locations in Carmel, Greenwood, Mooresville, Noblesville and Tipton, as well as decades worth of collective experience from our knowledgeable physicians. Contact us today for tennis elbow treatment that will guarantee a speedy recovery.
