Tennis elbow is a problem that occurs as a result of the tendons in the elbow being damaged as a result of overload and repetitive movements.
Dear patients, in this article, I will give you detailed information about tennis elbow. This problem, which is thought to occur only in athletes and even tennis players due to its name, can occur in anyone. People who make repetitive movements and use their arms intensively while working are especially at risk. Carpenters, sewing or embroidery workers, plumbers, butchers, and even painters may encounter the problem of tennis elbow.
What Causes Tennis Elbow?
As I mentioned above, tennis elbow is a muscle strain and injury that occurs due to overuse. The reason for this situation is the frequent contraction of the forearm muscles. As a result of the contraction, tissue damage may occur, and as a result, the tendons connecting the forearm muscles to the bone at the elbow contract. As a result of this situation, a condition called tennis elbow, whose medical name is lateral epicondylitis, occurs.
In order to better understand tennis elbow, I would like to talk about its causes separately.
Overuse: Tennis elbow occurs due to damage to a specific forearm muscle. The muscle that is problematic in keeping the wrist area stable and stable when our elbow is in a straight position weakens due to overuse. As a result of this weakening, pain and inflammation occur in the tendon that connects the muscles and bones.
Age: Tennis elbow usually occurs between the ages of 30 and 50, due to careless and intense use of the area in question. emerges. However, it should not be forgotten that there are many different risk factors for the emergence of this problem. People with risk factors may experience tennis elbow regardless of the age range I mentioned.
Profession or Hobby: The activities in which we spend a considerable amount of time in our daily lives may play a role in the occurrence of tennis elbow. hold a racket The movements made while working and using the arm, as well as the arm movements used in activities such as carpentry, painting and cooking, are very effective in the emergence of tennis elbow.
Be Careful: You can have tennis elbow without any known injury, strain or repetition of movement. For this reason, I recommend that you consult a specialist when you have long-lasting and persistent elbow pain.
Tennis Elbow Symptoms
Tennis elbow is a problem characterized by pain in the elbow area. If I had to briefly mention the symptoms indicating this problem;
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Pain occurring on the outer part of the elbow,
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A feeling of tenderness in the area where the pain occurs,
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Weakness in the hand and wrist during movement,
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Pain that occurs when grasping an object, shaking hands or making a fist movement indicates tennis elbow.
Be Careful: Dear patients, if you experience pain every time after performing hand movements you frequently perform in your daily life, be sure to see a specialist.
How is Tennis Elbow Diagnosed?
When you go to the doctor with a complaint of elbow pain, you first need to do a physical examination and listen to the patient's history. Along with these processes, if there is a suspicion of tennis elbow, detailed examinations are performed. In addition, the results obtained as a result of some movements performed by doctors during the physical examination help to move on to the differential diagnosis stage.
Physical Examination: As a result of the complaint of elbow pain, your doctor wants to learn some basic information from you. The sports you do, your profession, whether you have received a blow to the elbow or arm area, or whether you have had an accident recently are among the things your doctor must know during this examination. During the physical examination, the doctor asks you to straighten your wrist and fingers to find out if your arm is causing pain against resistance. Comprehension tests may also be performed during this process.
X-ray: An x-ray may be taken to observe whether there is a problem such as arthritis in the elbow and to examine the bone in detail.
MR: Magnetic. This method, also known as resonance imaging, is preferred to see whether elbow pain is due to a cervical disc herniation or arthritis and to perform soft tissue examination.
Electromyography: EMG may be performed to rule out the possibility of nerve compression. Symptoms of tennis elbow and nerve compression may be similar to each other.
Tennis Elbow Treatment
As with many joint problems, surgery is not the first solution for tennis elbow. Nearly 90% of people with this problem can be treated without surgical intervention.
Rest: Reducing the activities for a certain period of time and resting the arm is the first step in the treatment of this problem.
Medication: The use of painkillers reduces the pain and swelling in the area, if any.
Physical Therapy: Physical therapy planning can be done to strengthen the forearm muscles and ensure muscle recovery. In this process, a comprehensive treatment plan is obtained by using ice massage and muscle stimulating techniques, as well as exercises.
Use of Support: Treatment planning can be made with the use of supports located on the back of the forearm, which not only relieves the symptoms of tennis elbow but also allows the area to rest.
Injection: Methods such as steroid injection help relieve pain and reduce symptoms.
Shock Wave Therapy: Sound waves sent to the elbow can create micro-traumas and help the area enter the natural healing process and accelerate this process. It has been observed that shock wave therapy, which is considered an experimental treatment by some doctors, gives positive results in tennis elbow.
Surgery: If the symptoms of tennis elbow do not decrease, more than 6 months duration If symptoms continue uninterruptedly, surgical treatment may be considered. However, due to surgical risks and complications that may occur during the post-operative recovery period, surgical procedures are preferred as a last resort.
Ways to Prevent Tennis Elbow
Whether or not you have been diagnosed with tennis elbow, you can protect yourself from this problem and prevent its progression by making some changes in your daily life. You can block it. Dear patients, you can improve your life comfort by making a few small changes that you can integrate into your daily life.
Especially if you are in the risk groups I mentioned above, be sure to integrate the tips I will give you to protect yourself from tennis elbow into your life.
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Do exercises to strengthen your wrist and forearm muscles,
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Avoid repetitive movements, your work If it is not possible to avoid it, use support,
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When performing repetitive movements, be careful to take frequent breaks and do movements that will rest your arm,
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Be careful not to work by constantly bending your wrist,
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Be careful to keep the tools you use loose,
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Do not skip warm-up exercises while doing sports.
Exercises for Tennis Elbow
Dear patients, if you have tennis elbow problem, surgery It is very important that you take sufficient care before reaching the intervention point and do your exercises without interruption.
Wrap the elastic around your fingers and make opening and closing movements. Continue doing this movement 3 times a day for 25 repetitions each time. After a while, when the muscles become stronger, add another tire.
Keep your arm straight, with your palm facing up, without bending your elbow. Grasp the fingers of the outstretched hand with your other hand and pull downwards, continuing until you feel the muscles in your forearm tighten. Stay in this position for 15 seconds, repeat the movement 5 times in 2 sets a day.
Take a 1-kilogram weight, a water bottle or a bag filled with dried legumes. Support your forearm on the edge of a table or on your knee, hold the weight in your hand and slowly raise and lower it. Repeat this movement 1 set 10 times a day.
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