Tennis elbow, also known as lateral epicondylitis, is the most common form of elbow pain that results in patients seeking medical attention. The exact cause of the pain is not known, but it is thought to result from small tears of the tendons that attach the muscles of the forearm to the bones at the elbow. The muscle group involved work to cock the wrist back. Patients with tennis elbow suffer pain on the outside of the elbow that worsens when grasping objects or cocking the wrist back.

Most patients with tennis elbow are between 35 and 65 years old. It affects men and women equally. It occurs in the dominant arm about 75% of the time. The pain can come on suddenly but it usually begins gradually. The pain is described as being over the outside of the elbow, made worse by lifting objects, and radiates down the forearm. Tennis elbow is most commonly seen in manual laborers and in sports participants. Jobs that may lead to tennis elbow include plumbers, painters, gardeners and carpenters. Sports that may lead to tennis elbow include racquet sports, golf, and baseball. Symptoms of tennis elbow that indicate that medical help should be sought include pain at night or when at rest, inability to carry objects using that arm, elbow pain that lasts days, inability to straighten or flex the arm, and swelling or bruising around the elbow.

It is not known exactly what leads to the development of pain in tennis elbow, but it is more than just inflammation of the tissues of the elbow. The problem is thought to be more a degenerative problem as a result of aging or overuse of the joint. The tissues of the elbow do not have good blood flow which affects normal healing due to a lack of nutrients and oxygen to these tissues. The inhibited healing response may lead to degeneration of the tendons and the development of small tears.

Treatment usually begins conservatively with lifestyle modifications. Proper technique can help sports-related tennis elbow pain. In racquet sports, proper grip size is important in preventing elbow pain. Resting the injured elbow can allow time for the healing process. Anti-inflammatory medications help control pain and inflammation. Cortisone injections are also used to relieve tennis elbow pain when oral anti-inflammatory medications are not effective. Elbow braces may help align the joint properly and provide relief from the pain during activities. Special exercises to strengthen the muscles which may relieve tension on the tendons may also help. These exercises should not be done while pain is present. Surgery is used in about 5% of cases that do not respond to more conservative treatment.

Tennis elbow is a common cause of elbow pain. It is believed to be caused by poor healing to damage done to the tendons that attach certain forearm muscles to the bone at the elbow. Damage to these tendons is thought to be caused by repetitive motions associated with cocking the wrist back. Lifestyle modifications are usually needed to treat tennis elbow. Rest, pain relievers, proper technique, and strengthening exercises can help relieve pain in most cases.

Reference: http://orthopedics.about.com/cs/elbow/a/tenniselbow.htm.

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