What Is Tennis Elbow?

“Tennis elbow” is also called lateral epicondylitis. This means inflammation of the lateral epicondyle, a bony ridge on the outer (lateral) portion of the elbow. This ridge of bone is the site of origin of most of the forearm extensor muscles which control such motion as wrist extension, finger extension, elbow flexion, and some rotation of the forearm (supination). When this area gets inflamed, then the patient experiences pain and discomfort.

Who Gets Tennis Elbow?

More than half of tennis elbow sufferers have never played tennis! Patients are usually in their thirties through sixties and have performed some repetitive activity that has stressed or aggravated their forearm muscles. Such activities may include tennis, housework, cooking, physical labor, etc.

What Causes Tennis Elbow?

Most physicians agree that tennis elbow involves tearing of the muscles that originate from the lateral epicondyle. This results in local swelling and increased blood flow (the inflammatory response) which is an early effort at healing. Unfortunately, this is accompanied by pain. As we guard against pain, we tend to lose flexibility and strength in involved muscles. Within weeks, the originally elastic muscle fibers are replaced by more rigid scar tissue. We now have a muscle which is weaker and less flexible than it was prior to the injury. It is, therefore, susceptible to a recurrent tear. It should be stressed that this process is microscopic and that tennis elbow usually is the result of numerous microtears over a period of time.