Tennis elbow can be caused by repetitive or acute trauma or a combination of the two. Treatment for tennis elbow is the same whether it developed as a repetitive stress injury or not.
Finding the Cause
The first step in treating / preventing tennis elbow is understanding what caused it. Many general causes of repetitive stress injuries can be contributing factors for tennis elbow, particularly when focused on the elbow joint in question. Performing repetitive flexing, bending or twisting of the elbow also heightens your risk of developing tennis elbow.
Use the method outlined in Things to Do if You've Been Diagnosed with a Repetitive Stress Injury to identify the tasks causing the pain. Using a Visual Analog Pain Scale will help pinpoint the major and minor causes. The tasks causing the tennis elbow should be easy to pinpoint. It typically involves repetitive twisting and flexing of the forearm and elbow.
Stopping the Stress
The next step in your treatment / prevention of tennis elbow is to stop performing those tasks or correct your body mechanics when you do.
- Use sound ergonomic equipment and setups.
- Ensure you stay within the comfortable range of motion of the joint.
- Keep muscular control over the entire motion being performed. Do not let things just flop around.
- Do not stress the joint with particularly heavy or unbalanced loads.
Maintain a Healthy Body
You need to stay healthy and fit. Maintain a healthy weight. Strong bodies are more resilient against the stressors that cause these conditions.
Maintain good cardiovascular health. Good blood flow to the affected area is crucial for healing. Blood carries fuel to the cells and carries waste away. Tissues like tendons do not receive a lot of flow as it is so they need all the help they can get to recuperate.
Playing with different muscles than those you work with can also provide relief to an ailing elbow and forearm.
Home Treatment
Home treatment options for tennis elbow include:
- Icing the affected area to reduce inflammation and increase blood flow
- Using over the counter, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to decrease the swelling and manage pain (Warning: only use pain medication at times of rest to reduce the chance of further injury)
- Rest, lots of rest. Tennis elbow resulting from micro tears in the tendon can heal itself if no more damage occurs.
- Exercise to strengthen the injured area once symptoms have been reduced
Professional Treatment
When preventative and home treatment measures are not enough your health care professional may recommend these treatments. Only follow these treatments when instructed to by a health care professional. Treatments include:
- Icing the wrist to reduce inflammation and increase blood flow
- Wearing elbow splints to immobilize the elbow and reduce repetitive trauma
- Wearing a counter-force brace to take pressure of off the tendon
- Using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to decrease the swelling and manage pain
- Ultrasound therapy to reduce swelling and fluid build up
- Cortisone injection to treat the inflammation
- Extra-corporeal shock wave therapy to stimulate tendon healing
- Topical nitric oxide to speed tennis elbow recovery
- Physical therapy and exercise to strengthen the injured area
- Surgery
Surgery is a last option for treatment of tennis elbow. In severe cases of acute trauma where large tears are formed in the tendon surgery may be able to repair some damage. In severe cases of repetitive stress induced tennis elbow surgery may also be considered, specifically if symptoms do not lessen after a year of rest and rehabilitation of the affected elbow.
References:
1. WebMD. Arthritis: Tennis Elbow. Retrieved September 15, 2006.
