Tennis elbow or even known as Lateral Epicondylitis, is a condition that occurs on the lateral side of the forearm, at the elbow’s high.
A common cause is repetitive motions of the wrist and arm.
Tennis Elbow refers to how common this condition can be in tennis players.
Said so, Lateral Epicondylitis is a condition that can affect anyone.
As per Golfer’s Elbow, the pain starts from the elbow area, in this case from the lateral side, and can irradiate down the arm to the wrist.
Rest and counter medication can help relieve symptoms.
In some cases, surgery is required.
Tennis Elbow Symptoms
The pain generated by the tennis elbow may radiate down the forearm along the lateral side (thumb side).
In addition to the pain, you may experience weakness too.
Here is a list of actions that may be difficult to do
- Shake hands or grip an object
- Turn a door handle
- Hold a cup of water
Book now your next appointment to restore the mobility of your Tennis Elbow
Causes Tennis Elbow
As Lateral Epicondolytis is overuse and strain of muscle, it is caused by repeated contraction of the forearm muscles extensor.
These repetitive stretches and movements can lead to tiny tears in the tendon tissue, creating inflammation and pain within the elbow area.
Playing tennis with the pour technique often replicates this condition, especially using repeated backhand strokes.
Many other common motions can cause tennis elbow.
Here is an extended list:
- Using plumbing tools, which require strong grips
- Painting
- Using screwdrivers
- Food preparation, especially when the knife is not sharp
- Working in the office using a mouse for long hours
Treatment Options
At Melbourne Massage and Treatment, Giovanni offers a variety of options for treating Lateral Epicondylitis.
MLD may be the most recommended per inflammation of tendons and muscles.
Thanks to the light touch and repetitive movement, MLD stimulates the Lymphatic System directly, which takes care of the inflamed area.
Combining Myotherapy, Remedial Massage or Thai Massage technique with MLD can help even release more tension along the arm and elbow.
Tennis Elbow Exercises
In addition to the massage technique offered at Melbourne Massage and Treatment, exercises placed as per usual a crucial role in recovery.
Specifically, we can look in too eccentric exercises, which slow, lengthening muscle contractions.
Here is a link to eccentric exercises for the Tennis Elbow.
As you may notice in this video, the extension motion of the wrist is supported by the other hand.
By doing so, the extensor muscle of the forearm that needs training is not working hard. So the actual strengthening happens in the wrist’s flexion when the extensor muscles are stretching under the extra pressure of the weight.