Tennis Elbow
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- Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow refers to a painful condition that occurs when tendons in the elbow are overworked, especially by recurring movements of the wrist and arm causing pain chiefly where the tendons of the forearm muscles join the bonny bump on the outer of the elbow. This is a common phenomenon in people whose jobs feature the types of motions that can lead to this condition such as painters, plumbers and carpenters.
Symptoms
Symptoms of tennis this condition include pain that gradually increases around the outside of the elbow, this particular pain worsens when one shakes hands with another person or when squeezing objects. In addition to this, the pain is aggravated by stabilizing or moving one's wrist with force. For instance, the pain experienced when lifting something, using household tools, opening jars among others.
Causes
Tennis elbow comes about as a result of an overuse and muscle strain injury resulting from repeated contraction of the forearm muscles used to straighten one's head and raise hands and wrist. These repeated motions and strains to the tissue consequently result into a series of little tears in the ligaments that attach the forearm muscles to the skinny part at the external side the elbow. Again, repeated use of the backhand stroke with poor technique when playing tennis is one possible cause of tennis elbow, painting, driving screws, using plumbing tools and cutting up cooking ingredients like meat.
Risk factors
Tennis elbow is more common in adults between the ages of 30 and 50 although it affects all people; individuals whose occupations involve repetitive motions of the arm and wrist are also highly susceptible to this kind of pain. Moreover, participating in racket sporting activities particularly when one employs poor stroke technique, increases the risk of tennis elbow.
Complications
Tennis elbow if left untreated might result in chronic pain when gripping or lifting objects. The problem can be made worse when a victim strenuously uses his arm before his or her elbow completely heals.
Treatment
A general practitioner may suggest physical therapy in cases where pain medications fail. These include exercises to gradually stretch and lengthen one's muscles of the forearm, learning proper form by evaluating one's tennis technique to determine the best steps aimed at reducing stress on the injured tissue; and use of braces or forearm strap to reduce stress on the injured tissue.
Home remedies
Lifestyle techniques and home remedies that may help in curbing the condition include pain relievers prescribed by a general practitioner, avoiding activities that may exacerbate elbow pain by having pleasant rest, applying cold pack for 15 minutes three to four times daily and using proper technique in activities while avoiding repetitive motions. Tennis elbow thus is a medical condition that is prone to individuals whose jobs entail motions of the hand and elbow, its symptoms being pain around the elbow caused by muscle stress due to overuse. It affects all people though most common in adults from the age of 30 years.
References