What is it? Lateral epicondylitis, commonly known as tennis elbow, is a painful
condition involving the tendons that attach to the bone on the outside
(lateral) part of the elbow. Tendons anchor the muscle to bone. The
muscle involved in this condition, the extensor carpi radialis brevis,
helps to extend and stabilize the wrist (see Figure 1). With lateral
epicondylitis, there is degeneration of the tendons attachment,
weakening the anchor site and placing greater stress on the area. This
can then lead to pain associated with activities in which this muscle is
active, such as lifting, gripping, and/or grasping. Sports such as tennis
are commonly associated with this, but the problem can occur with
many different types of activities, athletic and otherwise. What causes it? Overuse The cause can be both non-work and work related. An
activity that places stress on the tendon attachments, through stress on
the extensor muscle-tendon unit, increases the strain on the tendon.
These stresses can be from holding too large a racquet grip or from
repetitive gripping and grasping activities, i.e. meat-cutting, plumbing,
painting, weaving, etc. Trauma A direct blow to the elbow may result in swelling of the tendon
that can lead to degeneration. A sudden extreme action, force, or activity
could also injure the tendon. Who gets it? The most common age group that this condition affects is between 30
to 50 years old, but it may occur in younger and older age groups, and
in both men and women. Signs and symptoms Pain is the primary reason for patients to seek medical evaluation. The
pain is located over the outside aspect of the elbow, over the bone
region known as the lateral epicondyle. This area becomes tender to
touch. Pain is also produced by any activity which places stress on the
tendon, such as gripping or lifting. With activity, the pain usually starts at
the elbow and may travel down the forearm to the hand. Occasionally,
any motion of the elbow can be painful. Treatment Conservative (non-surgical) Activity modification Initially, the activity causing the condition
should be limited. Limiting the aggravating activity, not total rest, is
recommended. Modifying grips or techniques, such as use of a different
size racket and/or use of 2-handed backhands in tennis, may relieve
the problem.
Medication anti-inflammatory medications may help alleviate the pain.
Brace a tennis elbow brace, a band worn over the muscle of the
forearm, just below the elbow, can reduce the tension on the tendon and
allow it to heal.
Physical Therapy may be helpful, providing stretching and/or
strengthening exercises. Modalities such as ultrasound or heat
treatments may be helpful.
Steroid injections A steroid is a strong anti-inflammatory medication
that can be injected into the area. No more than (3) injections should
be given. Lateral Epicondylitis (Tennis Elbow) American Society for Surgery of the Hand www.handcare.org lateral epicondyle degeneration of tendon
attachment of extensor
carpi radialis brevis Figure 1: The muscle involved in this condition, the extensor carpi radialis brevis, helps to extend and stabilize the wrist Shockwave treatment A new type of treatment, available in the office
setting, has shown some success in 5060% of patients. This is a shock
wave delivered to the affected area around the elbow, which can be used
as a last resort prior to the consideration of surgery. Surgery Surgery is only considered when the pain is incapacitating and has not
responded to conservative care, and symptoms have lasted more than
six months. Surgery involves removing the diseased, degenerated
tendon tissue. Two surgical approaches are available; traditional open
surgery (incision), and arthroscopya procedure performed with
instruments inserted into the joint through small incisions. Both options
are performed in the outpatient setting. Recovery Recovery from surgery includes physical therapy to regain motion of the
arm. A strengthening program will be necessary in order to return to prior
activities. Recovery can be expected to take 46 months.