Tennis Elbow

What is tennis elbow?
Tennis Elbow is also known as lateral epicondylitis. It occurs when there is inflammation of the muscle tendons that attach to the elbow.

What can cause tennis elbow?
The onset is often due to an increase in workload or overuse of the forearm muscles. This is usually due to a mismatch in your load demands versus the capacity of your soft tissues to handle the load. Over time the attachment sites can weaken causing extra strain on the forearm and wrist muscles.

What does it feel like?
Usually presents as a localized pain on the outside of the elbow but the pain can also radiate down the forearm and into the wrist. Often associated with this is a tightness and tender feeling down the muscles in the forearm and may result in weakness and pain with activities such as gripping and lifting.

What is the treatment for tennis elbow?
Physiotherapy treatment will depend on the activities that have contributed to the overload of your forearm muscles but can include strapping/bracing, manual therapy and a stretching and strengthening exercise programme. The time frame for recovery also depends on your individual factors such as stage of inflammation, daily activity level and whether your occupation or hobbies put more strain on the forearm.