What Are the Causes of Tennis Elbow?

Lateral epicondylitis, also referred to as tennis elbow, is a very common injury caused by the overuse of the muscles and tendons of the forearm. Despite its name, tennis elbow can be caused by activities other than tennis.

Considerations

• Tennis elbow occurs when the muscles and tendons of the forearms, specifically the muscles that attach to the bones at the elbow (the lateral epicondyle attachment site), are overused during the process of flexing and extending the hand and wrist. As a result, the muscles may become inflamed and the tendons may develop tiny tears. The inflammation and pain associated with the tears will cause pain in the surrounding forearm muscles as well.

Effects of Tennis

• The most common cause of tennis elbow is the sport of tennis, for which the condition was named. Individuals who play tennis are constantly raising and swinging one arm or the other while at the same time holding the tennis racket which causes contractions in the forearm muscles. The muscles are already contracted from holding the racket and then absorb additional stress as the player swings and hits the ball. Of course, hundreds of sports enthusiasts play tennis without suffering from this condition. In many cases, it is caused by poor technique, such as that used when throwing a bad backhand stroke.

Construction Work

• Individuals who regularly participate in construction work, whether as a hobby or as the main source of employment, are likely to develop tennis elbow as well. Construction workers tend to spend inordinate amounts of time conducting a task with one hand or the other. These tasks include painting, hammering and using a screwdriver. All of these activities require the participant to constantly use the forearm muscles to maintain grip on a tool while making a repetitive motion in order to get the job done.

Pinched Nerves

• Although overuse is the most common cause of tennis elbow, there are a few less common causes. Individuals suffering from pinched nerves in the arm area, usually caused by some sort of compression injury, are likely to develop tennis elbow as a result of the pain and inflammation associated with the injury.

Treatment

• It is important to seek treatment for tennis elbow as soon as the symptoms are discovered. Treatments may include rest, ice, pain relievers, support devices, and in severe cases even surgery. The longer tennis elbow goes untreated the more likely it is to have long-term effects on the surrounding nerves and tendons. Only a doctor will be able to tell if tennis elbow is caused by overuse or by another medical condition.