Are You Suffering From Tennis Elbow?
Sometimes, either by injury or overuse, the site where these muscles insert can start to become either irritated or inflamed. This condition is known as lateral epicondylitis or "tennis elbow"- although the majority of those affected do not have to play tennis.
Some examples of this include tennis, pickleball, carpentry, bricklaying, knitting, playing piano, typing, or lifting objects with your palm facing down. The condition is much more likely to strike your dominant arm.
The pain will typically begin as an intermittent or gradual discomfort during activity and then it progresses so that even simple activities, like holding a coffee cup, can become painful. Pain may in some cases increase when you straighten your arm, grip a doorknob or shake hands. The pain can also vary from mild to severe and commonly radiates into the forearm, sometimes to the wrist.
Braces, medication, sports creams, heat and ice offer temporary relief, but tennis elbow pain will almost always return when resuming activity.
In most cases, the first step in a successful treatment plan is to modify activities that are aggravating these symptoms. Then a series of treatment to reduce the inflammation, stabilize and strengthen the shoulder, elbow and wrist will help get you from the sidelines to the finish line.
Always remember to be be patient with your recovery!
