How to Heal Tennis Elbow Quickly (In Just 5 Steps)

How to Heal Tennis Elbow Quickly (In Just 5 Steps)

Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) is a painful condition that occurs when tendons in your elbow are overloaded, usually by repetitive motions of the wrist and arm.

Despite its name, athletes aren’t the only people who develop tennis elbow. People whose jobs feature the types of motions that can lead to tennis elbow include plumbers, painters, carpenters and butchers.

The pain of tennis elbow occurs primarily where the tendons of your forearm muscles attach to a bony bump on the outside of your elbow. Pain can also spread into your forearm and wrist. (source)

Rest and over-the-counter pain relievers often help relieve tennis elbow. If conservative treatments don’t help or if symptoms are disabling, your doctor might suggest surgery.

Common Symptoms of Tennis Elbow

The most common symptom of tennis elbow is recurring pain on the outside of the upper forearm, just below the bend of the elbow. Pain may also be felt further down the arm, towards the wrist.

Pain can occur when the individual lifts or bends the arm. It is also felt while performing basic actions, such as writing or when gripping small objects.

Tennis elbow can cause pain when twisting the forearm. This can be noticeable when turning a door handle or extending the forearm fully.

Causes of Tennis Elbow

The cause of tennis elbow stems from repeating incorrect movements of the arm. This can lead to small tears in the tendon attachment at the elbow. In tennis, this translates to the repeated motion and force of hitting a ball with a racquet.

Incorrect technique can cause the power in the swing of a racquet to rotate through and around the wrist. This creates a movement on the wrist instead of the elbow joint or shoulder. This can increase pressure on the tendon and cause irritation and inflammation.

Most often, the extensor muscles become painful due this tendon breakdown. The extensor muscles are those that straighten the wrist.

Tennis elbow is associated with the extension of the fingers and the wrist. This is the kind of movement that allows the person to “snap” or flick the wrist, such as during a racquet swing.

Other causes

Despite the name, tennis elbow refers to any injury to this particular tendon caused by overuse. Tennis elbow can stem from daily activities such as:

using scissors
cutting tough food
gardening
sporting activities that involve high amounts of throwing
swimming
manual work that involves repetitive turning or lifting of the wrist, such as plumbing, typing, or bricklaying.

Sometimes, there is no apparent cause(source).

Common Treatments For Tennis Elbow

Tests

Your doctor may recommend additional tests to rule out other causes of your problem.

X-rays

These may be taken to rule out arthritis of the elbow.

Diagnostic Ultrasound

Using an in-office ultrasound machine, your doctor can quickly diagnosis tennis elbow.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

If your doctor thinks your symptoms are related to a neck problem, an MRI scan may be ordered. This will help your doctor see if you have a possible herniated disk or arthritis in your neck. Both of these conditions often produce arm pain.

Electromyography (EMG)

Your doctor may order an EMG to rule out nerve compression. Many nerves travel around the elbow, and the symptoms of nerve compression are similar to those of tennis elbow.

Nonsurgical Treatment

Approximately 80% to 95% of patients have success with nonsurgical treatment.

Rest. The first step toward recovery is to give your arm proper rest. This means that you will have to stop participation in sports or heavy work activities for several weeks.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines. Drugs like aspirin or ibuprofen reduce pain and swelling.

Equipment check. If you participate in a racquet sport, your doctor may encourage you to have your equipment checked for proper fit. Stiffer racquets and looser-strung racquets often can reduce the stress on the forearm, which means that the forearm muscles do not have to work as hard. If you use an oversized racquet, changing to a smaller head may help prevent symptoms from recurring.

Physical therapy. Specific exercises are helpful for strengthening the muscles of the forearm. Your therapist may also perform ultrasound, ice massage, or muscle-stimulating techniques to improve muscle healing.

Brace. Using a brace centered over the back of your forearm may also help relieve symptoms of tennis elbow. This can reduce symptoms by resting the muscles and tendons.

Related: Knee braces for seniors

Surgical Treatment

If your symptoms do not respond after 6 to 12 months of nonsurgical treatments, your doctor may recommend surgery.

Most surgical procedures for tennis elbow involve removing diseased muscle and reattaching healthy muscle back to bone.

The right surgical approach for you will depend on a range of factors. These include the scope of your injury, your general health, and your personal needs. Talk with your doctor about the options. Discuss the results your doctor has had, and any risks associated with each procedure.