No, you do not have to play tennis to get tennis elbow. Technically, this disorder is called “lateral epicondylitis,” and it does to your elbows what carpal tunnel syndrome does to your wrists. It causes pain in the elbow that can extend up or down the arm, and it can make life pretty difficult for those who suffer from it. Revive Medical Center can help relieve the pain and discomfort of tennis elbow by treating the condition’s source. Let’s delve deeper into tennis elbow and its causes.
What Causes Tennis Elbow?
One of the reasons why we likened this disorder to carpal tunnel syndrome in the introduction is that it is caused by overuse and muscle strain – the same things that cause carpal tunnel syndrome. If you act all the time that contracts your forearm muscles repeatedly, you will damage the tissues and tear the elbow tendons that attach your forearm muscles to your elbow. People call the condition “tennis elbow” because it is frequent among tennis players who play with poor technique, particularly when they use their backhand strokes. Other causes include:
- Cooking preparation/chopping ingredients
- Computer mouse use all day long
- Driving screws all day long
- Painting or plumbing all day long
Any action where you use the muscles in your forearms constantly can cause lateral epicondylitis, and some people are more at risk for contracting tennis elbow than others are. If you’re a professional tennis player, you’ve got a good chance of dealing with this painful condition at some. Still, you can also be susceptible to tennis elbow if you are between 30 and 50 years old, work in a field that requires repetitive motion discussed above, or play other racket sports such as racquetball.
Tennis Elbow Symptoms
If you have this disorder, you will feel pain in your forearms and elbows that can spread down to your wrists. You may feel this pain all the time if you have a serious case of lateral epicondylitis, or you may only feel the pain when you grab an object or hold a coffee mug, shake hands, or turn a doorknob. Rest, OTC pain medication, and icing the elbow and forearms can help relieve symptoms. Still, a chiropractor can treat the source by manipulating the tendons and restoring blood flow to the forearms, elbows, and wrists.
Let us help. Call Revive Medical Center in Lawrenceville, GA, to schedule an appointment today.
