To the average person, tennis elbow sounds like a sports injury that’s usually reserved for people who play tennis. But this isn’t the case. In fact, most people who get tennis elbow aren’t even tennis players. Tennis elbow is the name given to the painful sensation that occurs when the tendons in the elbow are overworked, usually as the result of repetitive wrist and arm motions. These repeated motions put stress on the tissue and can cause a series of tiny tears in the tendons that attach the forearm muscles to the outside of the elbow. High instances of tennis elbow occur in professions such as plumbing, painting, carpentry, and butchery.
The pain from tennis elbow is usually felt in the area where the forearm muscle tendons attach to the bone on the outside of the elbow, although the pain can also spread into the forearm and down into the wrist. People most frequently experience pain from tennis elbow when they try to do things like open a door, hold a cup of coffee, or shake hands. If left untreated, serious tennis elbow can result in chronic pain that is especially noticeable when gripping objects, and using the arm too strenuously before the elbow has healed can exasperate the problem. While over-the-counter pain relievers and rest are the most common treatments for tennis elbow, some people experience such significant pain that conservative methods of treatment simply don’t work. When this is the case, a doctor will sometimes suggest corrective surgery.
If tennis elbow is a persistent problem for you, and conventional methods of treatment have done little to alleviate your pain, then it’s probably time to talk to a doctor about surgery. If you live in Southeast Michigan, contact the friendly experts at Michigan Hand and Wrist today to speak with a skilled professional who can help you take the first steps toward eliminating your pain.