Tennis elbow is one of the commonest causes of elbow pain in orthopaedic clinical practice. It is also called lateral epicondylitis. Tennis elbow comes under category of conditions which occur due to overuse tendon inflammationd
It is an inflammation occurring at the outer aspect of the elbow. There are a group of muscles which start from the outer aspect of the elbow which reaches till our wrist and hands. These muscles start from a common point at the outer aspect of the elbow. Due to repetitive strain of these muscles the tendinous attachment of these muscles undergoes micro injuries, which lead to inflammation around that part and eventually pain.
Patients usually have pain around the elbow, especially the outer aspect. They can even have weak grip strength. Patients many a times present with difficulty in doing their daily activities like lifting small weights, sometimes even brushing their teeth, opening the door, holding even a small weight etc. This condition can affect athletes, professionals, and individuals involved in repetitive hand motions such as typing, lifting, or painting. As such the condition is not dangerous or serious, but it leads to considerable disability in daily life and also creates a lot of discomfort to the patient.
Effective treatment involving medicines, physiotherapy with or without an injection, can at times give a long-time relief can also help in improving the function and strength of wrist and forearm muscles.
