Author: blogger

Tennis elbow, medically named lateral epicondylitis, is an inflammatory condition affecting the outside of the elbow.

The muscles of the back of the forearm run from the wrist to the elbow, where they attach to the upper arm bone (the humerus). It is this tendon, and the surrounding outer layer of bone that become inflamed in tennis elbow. Any movement of the muscle, which puts stress on the tendon, will then cause the characteristic pain of tennis elbow.

Tension on these muscles can be caused by all sorts of activities such as typing, writing, lifting objects with the palm turned down, or using a screwdriver. Even though there is inflammation, there is rarely any swelling. Stiffness and pain in the elbow can usually occur after prolonged periods of rest.

Since tennis elbow affects the straightening of the wrist, you can test for it by lifting a weight, such as a book, with your palm facing down. Any pain in the outside of the elbow suggests you have tennis elbow.

This condition is ultimately due to overuse of the wrist extensor muscles. These muscles attach to the humerus just above the elbow joint on the outside of the elbow. The muscles then continue down the back of the forearm. The tendons then travel across the back of the wrist and hand and connect onto the fingers. These muscles contract to help extend the wrist moving it toward the back of the hand.

In time, because too much tension on the muscles can decrease the joint space in the elbow, the condition can progress to inflammation of the joint itself. This can then result not just in the typical tennis elbow pain, but also pain and stiffness in the joint itself.

Conventional treatment of this condition may involve the use of anti-inflammatory medication and muscle relaxants along with temporary lifestyle modification. Physiotherapy modalities that may be employed include laser therapy, TENS, interferential current, or ultrasound.

Since the elbow joint can get involved, chiropractic manipulation of the joint, for instance using Graston, active release, cross-fiber massage or other soft-tissue therapies, can be very helpful.

The aim of the chiropractic adjustment is to momentarily separate the joint surfaces in the elbow by just one to three millimeters. This takes the pressure off the joint, and eases the pain. It may be that some manipulation of the wrist can also help.

As we have seen, it is tight muscles that cause the elbow pain. But if the wrist tightens up, the muscles have to work harder, thus putting more tension on that lateral epicondyle. So keeping the wrist supple and flexible should help to ease the condition.

The use of a tennis elbow band may also prove effective in decreasing symptoms. This works by forming an artificial origin for the muscle before it crosses the elbow. This allows a decrease in tension of the wrist extensor muscles as they cross the elbow which eases tension on the lateral epicondyle and decreases pressure on the elbow.

Rest would, of course, be ideal. But sometimes some lifting has to be done. In that case , be careful to make sure that you only lift with the palm of the hand turned upward. This causes the wrist flexors to be used more than the wrist extensors.

Limiting salt intake may be beneficial as well as it will help to reduce water resorption in the body. Supplementing with vitamin B6 has also been found to be helpful in some cases.

It is best to check with your medical doctor or chiropractic professional if you feel that you have this condition for with proper assessment, a treatment plan can be initiated will help with accelerated recovery.