Also know as .. ‘Lateral Epicondylitis’.
From the title, it can assumed it is probably an injury one occurs from playing tennis, BUT don’t be mistaken it is an injury that can occur from other sports as well. It is important that we know what kind of injuries are out there so we can help ourselves by knowing what to look for, how to handle the situation and causes so we can prevent it from happening again.
My goal is to help you with understanding different injuries, and how to manage them, but ALWAYS KEEP IN MIND: TO SPEAK WITH A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL!
What is this injury?
- commonly occurs near your ‘funny bone’, located on the outside of the elbow.
- can occur at the elbow and travel down to the forearm or hands when the elbow is in use.
- Tendinitis – swelling of the tendons
Causes:
- Overuse is the more common reason- repetitive gripping and grasping activities.
- Trauma- a direct blow to the elbow can cause degeneration and in turn make it more susceptible to an overuse injury
Symptoms:
- pain near the bony part of the elbow
- weakness in the forearms, wrist and elbow region
- Keep in mind that with activity the pain can start near the elbow and travel down to the forearms and hands
Treatment:
- The activity which causes the injury will need to be limited
- Ice the elbow for 20-30 minutes every 3 hours for 3-4 days until pain is gone
- medication can help alleviate pain
- Physical therapy for stretching and strengthening exercises
- Might have to wear a brace
- Having injections of steroids or painkillers to help with swelling and pain
- Rest
- Sport massages are said to be useful for this injury
- Surgery might have to be an option
Recovery can take several months or some people have been lucky enough where it recovers in less time than that depending on the severity of it. I noted up top that speaking with a medical doctor will be your best chance of dealing with it.
Have any of you had this injury? if so, how long did it take for you to recover and how did you end up with this injury?
Fitness WonderWoman,
Shay-lon
Be the best version of you 