What Is Tennis Elbow?

Tennis elbow, medically known as lateral epicondylitis, happens if the muscles and tendons in the forearm are pushed to their limits. Sufferers from this condition will have discomfort on the outside of the upper forearm (just below the bend of your elbow), when lifting or bending the arm, gripping small objects or if the forearm is twisted.

The Causes

The joint at the elbow has various muscles surrounding it that enable movement in the elbow, wrist and fingers. There are also tendons that join bones and muscles together in order to control the movement of the forearm. Tennis elbow occurs when muscles attached to the elbow are not used correctly; when these muscles and tendons are strained microtears and inflammation can result near the lateral epicondyle. As suggested by the name, this condition can occur after tennis but also after other activities that place repeated stress on the elbow joint.

It is advisable to stop the activity that is causing the tennis elbow until the pain improves. If pain in your elbow persists, make an appointment with your sports chiropractor. We’ll check for swelling and ask you to preform simple tasks such as extending your fingers and flexing your wrist while your elbow is extended. If we suspect that there is nerve damage further tests may be required such as an ultrasound scan or a magnetic resonance imaging.

Treatment

Tennis elbow can improve gradually after time even without treatment meaning that it is a self-limiting condition. Saying this, there are treatments that can improve the discomfort and speed up the recovery.

A compress, such as ice or a bag of frozen peas, should be put onto the damaged area for a few minutes and should be repeated 2-3 times a day, to help ease discomfort.

In many cases chiropractic care in conjunction with physiotherapy may be the answer; treating the injured area can reduce pain and stiffness thus improving movement range in your arm.

In some rare cases surgery may be required to repair the damaged tendon.

Prevention

It’s often difficult to prevent tennis elbow from occurring, especially if you’re involved in activities that put significant strain on the structures of the elbow and forearm, but reducing the amount of stress on the muscles that surround the area can help the condition from worsening.

Next Steps

Suffering from tennis elbow in Brookfield? At Ascent Chiropractic, we specialize in a gentle, hands-on, low-force adjusting technique that makes us specially suited for treating patients in severe pain. If you’ve been in a motor vehicle accident and sustained a whiplash or spinal injury, make an appointment at Ascent Chiropractic in Brookfield by calling 262-345-4166 or schedule an appointment with our online scheduling app.