Now that it’s summer, more people are taking part in outdoor activities including athletics. Tennis is one of the most popular outdoor sports activities, but the repetitive and rigorous use of the forearm muscles may result in inflammation and deterioration of the involved tendons. This is referred to as Tennis Elbow, or lateral epicondylitis.
Tennis Elbow is a painful degenerative condition of the tendon fibers attached to the bony “outer” portion of the elbow. The tendons affected fasten the muscles that allow you to extend or lift the wrist and hand. The result is often pain and tenderness on the outside part of the elbow.
Although called Tennis Elbow, many other common activities can cause this degenerative condition including carpentry, raking, painting, and other activities that require repetitive and forceful grasp. During these gorgeous summer months, Tennis Elbow can affect people who spend a considerable amount of time gardening or landscaping.
Some of the possible symptoms of Tennis Elbow are:
- Pain that radiates from the outside of your elbow into your forearm and wrist
- Weakness in the forearm
- Pain that occurs when you extend your arm
- Pain when gripping something such as a mug, or when shaking hands
Left untreated, Tennis Elbow can cause chronic pain and a loss of strength.
At VOA our experienced and knowledgeable staff are well equipped to treat Tennis Elbow, as well as educate patients on how to prevent the condition from occurring. You can contact VOA at 425-656-5060.