Tennis elbow
Tendons are strong bands of tissue that connect muscles to bones. Pain results from repeated stress or overuse and the tendons become inflamed. You can often trace tennis elbow to the way of using the forearm muscles; these muscles control hand and wrist movements. The muscles attach to tendons that connect them to two small points of bone just above the elbow on either side. Muscles connected to the outer side of the elbow straighten fingers, bend the wrist upwards and roll the forearm into a palms-up position. Muscles connected to the inner side of the elbow bend fingers to bend, wrist bend in a downwards motion and forearm movement into a palms-down position.
Because of the way tendons connect these muscles to the bone there are points where the tendons are too small to tolerate the force of these powerful muscles resulting in over-load when the forearm and hand make strong, jerky movements such as gripping, lifting, or throwing.
Tendons are rope-like structures made of strong, smooth, shiny fibers that do not stretch when pulled. Strong forces or sudden impacts can eventually tear their fibers apart causing a strain which usually results in scar tissue forming. Over time, strained tendons become thickened, bumpy, and irregular. If you do not rest and give time for healing, you can permanently weaken strained tendons. Damaged tendons can occur on either side of the elbow. Tennis elbow is when damage happens on the outside of the elbow and is the most common. When it happens on the inside, it is "medial epicondylitis" or golfer's elbow.
Tennis elbow often develops in relation to how you grip, twist, reach and move. Be careful when performing activities in a fixed or awkward position, when they involve constant repetition, excessive force and don't allow the body to recover from the wear and tear of the activity. Tennis elbow is common in jobs that require repeated or forceful movements of the fingers, wrist, and forearm; it can develop because of too much force at once or small amounts of force for too long a period.
Specific movements linked to developing tennis elbow include:
- simultaneous rotation of the forearm and bending of the wrist (rotation, bending, and gripping)
- stressful gripping of an object in combination with inward or outward movement of the forearm
- jerking or throwing motions
- movements to hit objects with the hand
Signs and symptoms
- Pain that radiates from the outside of your elbow into your forearm and wrist
- Pain when you touch or bump the outside of your elbow
- Pain when you extend your wrist
- A weak grip
- A painful grip during certain activities, such as shaking hands or turning a doorknob
There are usually no outward sign of redness or swelling; tennis elbow commonly affects only one arm (usually the dominant one).
Early attention usually prevents the development of a serious disorder, although prevention is always best. Treatment options usually include rest from the activities that cause elbow pain, ice packs or medication to reduce the inflammation and physiotherapy to assess healing and restore function. Treatment length can vary; it sometimes last for several weeks or months making prevention important.
Prevention of tennis elbow requires general awareness of the condition and its early symptoms and prompt action to deal with risk factors and eliminate them before the condition develops or worsens. Identify and modify tasks associated with tennis elbow to reduce the risk of serious injury. Areas of greatest concern are use of fingers, wrists and forearms in repetitive work involving forceful movement, awkward postures, and lack of rest. Avoid tasks that place excessive force, stress, or strain on muscles of the forearm.
Source:
Canadian Centre of Occupational Health and Safety
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