Here at Advance Physio, we treat an incredible range of musculoskeletal injuries, the majority of which occur through sports injuries. Now that the weather is starting to pick up again, the sun has started to make an appearance and the rain has subsided, more and more people are beginning to pick up outdoor sports again to include tennis.
If you’re an avid tennis player, you’re probably aware of tennis elbow, but if you’re new to the sport or have never suffered before, tennis elbow is a condition that causes pain around the outside of the elbow. Its official name is lateral epicondylitis and is one of the most common musculoskeletal injuries. It occurs after strenuous overuse of the muscles and tendons of the forearm, near the elbow joint.
If you have tennis elbow, you might find it hard to fully extend your forearm without feeling some pain and discomfort. You may notice pain:
- on the outside of the upper forearm just below the bend of your elbow
- when lifting or bending the arm
- when gripping small objects
- when twisting the forearm such as turning a door handle or opening a jar
The muscles and tendons in the arm become strained and tiny tears can develop on them along with severe inflammation on the outside of your elbow joint (the lateral epicondyle). As with most musculoskeletal injuries, physiotherapy is a recommended to relieve the inflammation and pain and so return to sporting activities.
For more information on tennis elbow or any other musculoskeletal injuries we treat please contact us today.