“Tennis Elbow”used to be a condition commonly seen in Tennis players. Today, it is not limited to Tennis or sports people alone. So what is Tennis Elbow, what are the causes? How do you know you have it? What do you do to prevent it? These are some common questions that come to our mind. So let’s find out some more details about it.
These days it is more commonly caused by computer usage, where our hands are kept in one angle & position for long periods causing repeated slow trauma and injury to the same group of muscles (forearm muscles) constantly. This type of injury is also known as RSI (Repetitive Stress Injury).
How do I know I have tennis elbow?
Most elbow pain without any other obvious explanation is either tennis or golfer’s elbow (same as Tennis Elbow, only difference is pain is on the inside border of the elbow), especially if you’ve been working on the computer a lot (or playing a lot of tennis or golf). Tissues right around and below the bony projection on the side of your elbow will become painful. In fact, you will be surprised that the muscles above your elbow may also be painful, if you apply pressure on them.
What treatment can I take?
Tennis elbow is a classic repetitive strain injury (RSI): a combination of long standing exhaustion and irritation in the muscles and tendons on the back of the arm and the outside of the elbow. Hotter, sharper pain right at the elbow probably indicates a classic case. If you depend heavily on your arms for intensive computer work, tennis elbow can be a major problem. But that doesn’t mean you wait until it turns chronic and then quit your job. There are things that you can do to prevent it.
Tennis elbow may respond well to some simple and inexpensive treatment methods.
**Important: Never apply ice directly for more than a minute or two at a time. You can ice 4-5 times a day.
Don’t lift the back of your keyboard! An elevated keyboard forces you to keep the wrists in ‘upward locked’ position, holding all of the extensor muscles of the forearm in contraction. This is very, very bad, and severely aggravates computer elbow situations. Avoid it!
5. Bracing – The use of a support around the elbow, such as an elbow sock or a brace may also be recommended in the short term.
Disclaimer: This is for informational purpose only. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalized medical advice.
(Dr Sadiya Vanjara (PT) is Head of Physiotherapy Department, Noor Hospital, www.sadiyavanjara.com)
