Tennis elbow or tennis elbow ( lateral epicondylitis humeri, also called radial epicondylitis humeri ) is a type of tendinitis known by that name, although the majority of people suffering from this tendon degeneration have never handled a tennis racquet.
This condition produces pain in the outer elbow above a bony prominence, the lateral epicondyle, where the extensor and extensor muscles of the wrist attach.
The pain is felt with certain movements, such as grasping, pushing, pulling, and lifting.
As the disease progresses, the symptoms can become noticeable even with minimal movements or in phases of rest. Usually the disease has a slowly evolving course, the pain rarely occurring suddenly in the absence of trauma.
Rarely does tennis elbow occur on both sides.
Pain in the inner elbow area is not caused by tennis elbow but by golfer’s elbow , which means inflammation of the proflexor and wrist flexor tendons.
Elbow pain can also be caused by compression of the ulnar nerve ( nervus ulnaris ), a bruise , or a fracture .
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Who suffers from tennis elbow?
1-3% of the population suffers from tennis elbow and more than 50% of all tennis players during their playing days; In many of these cases, the tennis elbow becomes chronic due to the constant strain.
Men are more likely to be affected than women, mostly people between the ages of 30 and 50.
Although tennis players also suffer from tennis elbow, other groups of people are also affected; Those people who carry out repetitive activities with their arms at work and in their free time are particularly at risk.
Patients include golfers, baseball players, homemakers, cleaners, handymen, mechanics, assembly line workers.
Those who work long hours on the PC and use the mouse can develop tennis elbow, especially if a flat surface is used; here the use of a mouse pad with gel pads for wrist support is recommended.
Causes of tennis elbow
Usually, tennis elbow is caused by excessive strain on the elbow.
Any activity that overloads the extensors or extensors of the hand can trigger tendinitis.
This can be gardening, tennis and other repetitive activities. Bodybuilders can develop the ailments due to improper execution of the exercises.
Epicondylitis can also be associated with direct trauma to the outside of the elbow.
It is believed that overuse or trauma causes a small tear at the origin of the short spoke-side hand plug (musculus extensor carpi radialis brevis).
Because the collagen fibers that make up the tendons show changes, tennis elbow, classified as tendonitis, should really be defined as tendon degeneration.
Symptoms of tennis elbow
Tennis elbow can show the following symptoms:
Slowly increasing pain in the outer elbow.
Increased symptoms when clenching a fist or grabbing objects.
The pain increases when the wrist is stabilized or moved forcefully, such as when lifting objects, pouring a glass of water, opening a can, or handling everyday objects such as a toothbrush, knife, and fork.
Diagnosis of tennis elbow
The diagnosis is made after anamnesis examination and on the basis of the description of the symptoms that occur.
Examination of the upper limb is additionally helpful in confirming the diagnosis.
The elbow can normally be moved fully, only in an advanced stage are restricted movements.
Swelling at the lateral epicondyle may be felt on palpation of the elbow.
Pain can be produced by extending the elbow against resistance.
Doctors must perform various maneuvers to rule out other conditions that have symptoms similar to epicondylitis, such as arthritis , golfer’s elbow , or carpal tunnel syndrome .
Technical investigations in tennis elbow
In the case of tennis elbow, an X-ray examination is not very informative and is therefore not practiced.
Ultrasonography , on the other hand, is often used to confirm the diagnosis because it shows the extensor and extensor tendons of the hand.
In some cases , magnetic resonance is also done to confirm the diagnosis and rule out other disorders.
