Introduction

Tennis elbow is a condition that causespain around the outside of the elbow.

It's clinically known as lateral epicondylitis.

It oftenoccurs afterstrenuous overuse of the muscles and tendons of the forearm, nearthe elbow joint.

You may notice pain:

• on the outside of your upper forearm, just below the bend of your elbow
• when lifting or bending your arm
• when gripping small objects, such as a pen
• when twisting your forearm, such asturning a door handle or opening a jar

You may also find it difficult tofully extend your arm.

The tendons in your elbow join the bones and muscles together, and control the muscles of your forearm.

Tennis elbow is usually caused byoverusing the muscles attached to your elbowand used to straighten your wrist. If themuscles and tendons are strained, tiny tears and inflammation can develop near the bony lump (the lateral epicondyle) on the outside of your elbow.

As the name suggests, tennis elbow is sometimes caused by playing tennis. However, it is often caused by other activities that place repeated stress on the elbow joint, such as decorating or playing the violin.

Pain that occurs on the inner side of the elbow is often known as golfer's elbow.

Massaging and manipulating the affected area mayhelp relieve the pain and stiffness, and improvethe range of movement in your arm.

Surgery may be used as a last resort to remove the damaged part of the tendon.

Most cases of tennis elbow last between six months and two years. However, in about nine out of 10 cases, a full recovery is made withina year.

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Preventing tennis elbow

It's not always easy to avoid getting tennis elbow, althoughnot putting too much stress on the muscles and tendons surrounding your elbow will help prevent the condition getting worse.

If yourtennis elbow is caused by an activity that involves placing repeated strain on your elbow joint,such as tennis, changing your technique may alleviate the problem.

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