Dr. B K Rai

Tennis elbow is a type of tendinitis. It is usually the swelling of certain ligaments. It causes pain in the elbow as well as the arm. These ligaments are bands of strong and stretchable tissues that connect the muscles of your lower arm to your elbow. In spite of its name, you can in any case get tennis elbow regardless of the possibility that you have never been close to a tennis court. This is merely a name for the condition and has little to do with the sport. It can affect anyone who indulges in a swinging motion.

Any repetitive exercises that require a tight grip, particularly in cases where the thumb and the initial two fingers are used frequently, may cause tennis elbow. Tennis elbow is the most common reason for patients to see their doctors for elbow torment. It can occur in individuals of all ages; however, it is most common and normal at about the age of forty.

This condition is usually caused when there are repeated contractions of the lower arm muscles that you use to raise your hand and wrist as well as to straighten it. The repetitive movements and pressure to the tissue may bring about a series of little tears in the ligaments that connect the lower arm muscles to the hard surface on the outside of the elbow.

Tennis elbow ordinarily occurs after some time. Dull movements such as holding a racket during a swing can strain the muscles and put a lot of weight on the ligaments. That consistent pulling can cause a small amount of tears in the tissue. Tennis elbow may be caused because of the following reasons:

1. Playing tennis
2. Playing racquetball
3. Playing squash
4. Fencing
5. Weight lifting or any other stressful exercises involving the muscles

In tennis, the following moves can lead to tennis elbow:

1. One-handed back stroke with a poor stance or lose hand
2. A late forehand swing bringing a bend in the wrist altogether
3. Snapping and turning the wrist while hitting with full power
4. As the name suggests, playing tennis, particularly repeated use of the backhand stroke with poor strategy, is a conceivable reason for tennis elbow.

However, a number of other basic arm movements can also cause tennis elbow. It can also affect individuals with particular occupations or while performing leisure activities that require heavy arm movements or gripping, for example, the following:

1. Carpentry
2. Excessive writing
3. Painting
4. Raking
5. Weaving or knitting
6. Utilising plumbing devices
7. Driving screws
8. Chopping cooking ingredients or vegetables, especially meat
9. Repetitive computer mouse utilisation
10. Lifting heavy materials or even grocery bags

There are a number of ways to treat a tennis elbow. These include certain over-the-counter (OTC) medicines. If those do not work, seek the help of a specialist or Orthopaedist. He or she can recommend you the right kind of medicines as well as exercises needed for the recovery.