Lateral epicondylitis, or tennis elbow, is a degenerative condition of the tendon that attaches to the bony part of the elbow from chronic overuse and abuse. The tendons involved are those that anchor the muscles of the wrist and hand to lift and raise the wrist. Ask anyone who has suffered from the symptoms of tennis elbow, this condition is painful.
Tennis elbow happens more commonly to people between 30 and 50 and can affect half of all athletes who play racquet sports. The specific action that causes injury and inflammation is the use of the backhand stroke with poor technique.
But not all people who are affected are athletes. The factor that most affects the development of the condition is the repetitive and vigorous use of the forearm, such as in racquet sports, meat cutting, fencing, plumbing, painting, raking and weaving.
Diagnosis and Treatment
The burning pain of tennis elbow on the outside of the arm often starts slow and worsen over weeks and months. The pain is felt with pressure over the outside of the elbow or by using the forearm by gripping or lifting objects. The pain is similar to golfers elbow except that the golf elbow overuse pain is on the inside of the elbow where this is on the outside of the elbow.
