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Simple Exercises for Tennis Elbow

Overview

Tennis elbow, also known as lateral epicondylitis is a condition where the tissue connecting the forearm muscle to the elbow becomes irritated. It gets its name from the high number of patients that happen to be tennis players. This condition can be caused by the repetitive wrist and arm motions and is mostly self-diagnosable. Pain is the most common symptom of a tennis elbow, radiating from the outside of the elbow to the forearm and wrist.

This condition [1] tends to develop over time after consistently straining your elbow while doing repetitive motions. Tennis players are at a high risk of developing this condition because of the strain on their hand muscles when using a racket. The game requires constant tugging, which can eventually cause microscopic tears in the tissue. It can also cause your tendons to inflame, causing pain that radiates through the elbow and arm. Your tendons are what connect your hand muscles to the bone.

Regardless of its name, non-tennis players can also come down with this condition. You are at risk if you are involved in any repetitive gripping activities. They are bands of tough tissue that connect the muscles of your lower arm to the bone. High-intensity, repetitive activities that require you to use your thumb and first two fingers can lead to tennis elbow. Reports have shown that this condition is the leading cause of most common elbow pain complaints.

Although tennis elbow can develop at any age and in both sexes, persons aged forty and above make up a high percentage of patients. Asides from tennis, here are other games [2] that can cause you to suffer tennis elbow:

  • Racquetball
  • Weightlifting
  • Squash
  • Fencing

Non-athletes can also suffer from this condition if they have jobs or hobbies that require repetitive arm movements. Here are the common jobs [3] or hobbies that can also give you a tennis elbow:

  • Carpentry
  • Cooking
  • Typing
  • Painting
  • Raking
  • Knitting
  • Butchering

Symptoms of a tennis elbow tend to worsen when you carry out certain activities [4] like;

  • Lifting objects
  • Making a fist Gripping
  • Turning a doorknob or opening a bottle cap
  • Shaking hands
  • Raising your hand

Some people may experience mild symptoms while others experience severe ones. If left untreated, symptoms may worsen over time.