Tennis Elbow
What is Tennis elbow?
Tennis elbow (or lateral elbow tendinopathy) affects 1-3% of people and can make everyday tasks difficult, both at work and home. The good news is that it’s rarely serious, and there are steps you can take to aid your recovery.
Tennis elbow occurs when the tendon connecting your wrist muscles to the outer elbow becomes irritated. While it’s common in people who play racquet sports, it can also affect manual workers or anyone who puts strain on their elbow.
Symptoms may include:
- Pain and tenderness on the outer elbow, often with a tender spot over the bone
- Stiffness in the elbow, especially in the morning or after rest
- Pain during gripping activities, such as lifting with the palm down, wringing out a dishcloth, or pouring from a heavy jug
- Pain may ease at first but worsen with continued activity
Possible contributing factors:
- Sudden increase in activities that involve the arm, such as gardening or DIY
- Health conditions like diabetes or high cholesterol
- Being overweight, particularly around the middle
- Menopausal changes in women (aged 40-60)
- Inactive lifestyle or smoking
- Stress, illness, or feeling run down
Ask for an Urgent GP Appointment or Call 111 If
The arm is swollen alongside a high temperature or you feel hot and shivery.
Call 999 or go to A+E if:
- You’ve had a recent fall or injury, impacting the arm alongside a change in contours of the elbow or an inability to straighten the elbow
- Arm pain has come on suddenly and it occurs with pressure, heaviness or squeezing across your chest.
4 facts about tennis elbow
It is ok for it to be sore during exercise as you are training a sore area. The tendon needs time to adapt to new activity. Be regular and patient with training and gradually building up over time.
Evidence shows that loading the muscle and tendon (challenging strengthening exercises) is the best treatment for tennis elbow.
Prolonged resting is not good for general health or for the health of the tendon. Tendons stay healthy by using them regularly and can work better by gradually using them more over time.
Tennis elbow is a “clinical diagnosis”, i.e. one that is made in clinic with you and the physiotherapist, taking a careful history and testing the area. Routine scanning of the area is therefore not required. Scans also don’t predict how much pain you feel, and image findings are often unchanged when people do get better. Scans are usually only needed if you have suffered a traumatic injury such as a fall or when symptoms are atypical.