14 Jun Treatment for Tennis Elbow
While the name may tell you otherwise, tennis elbow is an injury that does not only affect tennis players. The reality of tennis elbow is that it is a condition that can develop in anyone who overuses their elbow joint. At New York Sports Medicine Institute, our team is well-versed in treating this condition and will utilize various techniques to help improve your situation.
What is Tennis Elbow?
Tennis Elbow, also known as lateral epicondylitis, is a painful condition that can occur when the tendons in your elbow become overloaded. Despite what the name might suggest, tennis athletes are not the only people who can develop this condition. Those who work in an industry that requires repetitive motion in the elbow, like painters, plumbers, carpenters, and butchers, can all develop this ailment. Pain associated with tennis elbow typically occurs where the tendons of your forearms attach to the outside area of your elbow and can spread to your arm and wrist. This pain and weakness can make it challenging to grip an object or even hold things in your hand.
What Causes Tennis Elbow?
Tennis elbow is a muscle strain and overuse injury caused by repeated contraction of the forearm muscles you use to raise and straighten your hand and wrist. These motions and stress to the tissue can result in several small tears in the tendons attached to the forearm and bony part of the elbow. Playing tennis, especially the repeated use of the backhand stroke, is a possible cause of this condition. However, some other typical motions can lead to this condition, including some of the following:
- Repetitive use of a computer mouse.
- Cutting up ingredients for cooking.
- Using power tools.
- Painting.
Tennis elbow most commonly affects those between the ages of 30 and 50. While this condition can be painful and hinder your range of motion, our team at New York Sports Medicine Institute can help devise an effective treatment to get you on the road to recovery.
Treating Tennis Elbow
If you start experiencing symptoms of tennis elbow, it’s best to seek treatment as soon as possible to avoid severe complications. It is also recommended that you rest your injured arm and stop doing the activities causing your problem. One of the first ways our team will address your injury is by performing a thorough evaluation. After your assessment, we will outline a treatment plan catered to your unique needs. You might be prescribed exercises to strengthen and stretch your muscles gradually as well as some other minimally invasive treatment options.
Surgical Treatment
If conservative treatment methods don’t yield ideal results and your pain does not subside, you may require surgery to fix your problem. We provide elbow arthroscopy and other minimally invasive procedures to repair the damaged tendon. During this procedure, your surgeon will insert an arthroscope in your elbow area through a small incision and use a tiny camera to view the structures of the elbow. Your surgeon will then use specialized instruments to repair the damaged tendon. If your injury is more complex, you may require tendon reconstruction or open tendon repair. After your tennis elbow procedure, our team will be there for you throughout the recovery process to get you back to function as soon as possible.
Contact NYSMI
At New York Sports Medicine Institute, we provide a wide range of highly specialized treatments to address tennis elbow and other orthopedic conditions adequately. When working with our experienced orthopedic specialists, you can be sure that you are in good hands. Our team will work closely with you throughout your recovery until your elbow is restored to optimum function and is free from pain. Contact New York Sports Medicine Institute today to schedule an appointment.