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What is it?
Lateral epicondylalgia, also known as as tennis elbow, is a pain syndrome that occurs to the muscles of the forearm that extend the wrist and fingers. Commonly the site is the lateral epicondyle, which is the bony prominence on the outside of the elbow.
As the name suggests, it is common in tennis players, and also those who work in repetitive manual trade jobs.
Common causes
Repetitive hand and/or wrist use. E.g typing, hammering. Repetitive gripping activities. Poor technique (e.g tennis serve). Lack of muscle strength or tightness in the muscles of the forearm.
Symptoms
Lateral epicondylalgia is a pain syndrome, and generally the onset of symptoms will occur over time. Generally, most movement of the elbow will be pain free.
Symptoms may include:
Treatment
Initial treatment of lateral epicondylalgia should include rest from the repetitive movements that are causing the issue.
A physiotherapist can help to manage tennis elbow in the short and long term, and treatment may include:
Joint mobilisation
Assessment and treatment of your shoulder and neck may be involved depending on the condition.
Prevention
The use of strengthening and stretching techniques may help in preventing injury and re-injury, as well as assessing technique and loading issues. Chat to your physiotherapist about the best methods for you!
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