29 Oct Tennis Elbow: Not Just for Tennis Pros

Often, we see patients that come in with sharp pain on the inside of their elbow. It generally occurs after periods of excessive use of the arm, forearm, and hand muscles. This is a condition that is commonly referred to as “tennis elbow”or possibly “golfer’s elbow.”

You don’t have to play tennis or golf to come down with this condition, however they received this name because the demands of those sports can often lead to the condition. However, you might find that this condition comes on after a long weekend of home renovations or difficult manual labor.

Tennis elbow can be a real hassle to live with, but you can prevent the condition by following some of these suggestions:

1. The best way to prevent tennis elbow is to strengthen your arm muscles so that they are flexible and strong enough to handle your activities.
2. Make sure to use the correct technique while performing activities requiring the hand, forearm, and elbow.
3. Wear a counterforce brace during activities that require grasping or twisting arm movements.
4. Alternate hands during activities to prevent one arm from taking the entire load of the work.

If you can follow these 4 steps, you will drastically reduce your risk of tennis elbow and avoid the nagging pain that comes with it.