Tennis Elbow Treatment

“Tennis Elbow” is a term used by your New Orleans orthopaedic specialist for a condition caused by overuse of the arm, forearm, and hand muscles that results in elbow pain. You don’t have to play tennis to get this, but the term came into use because it can be a significant problem for some tennis players.

Tennis elbow is caused by either abrupt or subtle injury of the muscle and tendon area around the outside of the elbow. Tennis elbow specifically involves the area where the muscles and tendons of the forearm attach to the outside bony area of the elbow. It most commonly affects people in their dominant arm, but it can also occur in the non-dominant arm or both arms.

Symptoms of Tennis Elbow

Symptoms of tennis elbow include:

• Pain slowly increasing around the outside of the elbow. Less often, pain may develop suddenly.
• Pain is worse when shaking hands or squeezing objects.
• Pain is made worse by stabilizing or moving the wrist with force. Examples include lifting, using tools, opening jars, or even handling simple utensils such as a toothbrush or knife and fork.

Diagnosis of Tennis Elbow

Tennis elbow is usually diagnosed by the description of pain you provide to your orthopaedic specialist in New Orleans and certain findings from a physical exam.

Since many other conditions can cause pain around the elbow, it is important that you see your orthopaedic specialist so the proper diagnosis can be made and the appropriate treatment can be started.

Treatment of Tennis Elbow

Tennis Elbow usually is successfully treated by medical means such as:

• Physical therapy;
• Forearm bracing to rest the tendons;
• Topical anti-inflammatory and cortisone gels;
• Cortisone injections.

The type of treatment prescribed for tennis elbow will depend on several factors, including age, type of other drugs being taken, overall health, medical history, and severity of pain. The goals of treatment are to reduce pain or inflammation, promote healing, and decrease stress and abuse on the injured elbow.

We want to be your trusted Orthopaedic Specialists of New Orleans.  If you are experiencing the symptoms of Tennis Elbow, please call our office at (504) 897-7877 and a member of our caring staff will be happy to help you.

Thank you for trusting us with your care!


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