Tennis elbow
What is tennis elbow?
Tennis elbow is inflammation of the tendons on the outside of the elbow.
Causes
Repetitive strain caused by racquet sports such as tennis can cause inflammation of the tendons in this area.
Symptoms
Pain and tenderness, which can become gradually worse over weeks and months, leading to noticeably weaker grip strength during racquet sports.
Diagnosis
Following a medical examination, the diagnosis is usually backed up by an X-ray and, in some cases, an MRI scan to assess the extent of any damage.
Treatment
In most cases tennis elbow doesn’t need to be treated with surgery: rest, physiotherapy, or an arm brace may be enough to improve your symptoms. In some cases, you may be offered steroid injections and, if your symptoms don’t improve, extracorporeal shockwave therapy can substantially speed up recovery.
