Your elbow is a joint made up of 3 bones (radius, ulnar and humerus), muscles, tendons and
ligaments. A tendon is a strong flexible tissue that joins your muscles to the bone. Tennis is
elbow referring to the condition when the tendon in your elbow is strained or has mirco tears.
This tendon connects with the muscles in your forearm. The most common muscle involved
is extensor carpi radialis brevis (ECRB) - this helps you lift your wrist and fingers up (when
your palm is facing down).
Tennis elbow is known as an overuse injury. Simply put, repetition of the same movement.
However, it may also result from an injury or sudden increase in levels of activity. You may
experience pain when you touch the outside of the elbow. You man also experience difficult
lifting things with a reduced grip strength.
Common in following sports: cricket, baseball, swimming, throwing sports in general.
Common in the following professions: Painters, wait staff, mechanics, electricians, chefs.
Poor work ergonomics can always be a contributing factor: poor desk/keyboard set up.
- Applying heat and ice
- resting
- avoiding aggravating activities. If you cannot avoid the activity, then pacing your activity to avoid overloading and pushing through pain.
- Use orthoses if applicable: brace, strap, tubigrip
- Pain relief: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDs) - topical/oral, paracetamol.
*Consult with your doctor for appropriate medications.
- Physiotherapy referral for an exercise plan to improve strength, flexibility and mobility in the joint.
- Invasive treatment: Cortico-steroid injection. *This may be offered by your doctor if
your pain is severe.
Tennis elbow is generally a self-limiting condition and spontaneously improves in about 80-
90% of people over 1-2 years.
*Symptoms can persist despite 6-12 months of optimal management.
