Do you play tennis or golf, or any other sport? Do you use your wrist and forearm frequently as part of your job? Chances are, you might be more likely to suffer from painful tendon problems in your elbow, also known as tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow. Today, we want to talk about Tennis/Golfer’s Elbow. We will explain what tennis elbow is, who can get it, and what you can be doing to prevent tennis elbow from happening to you.
Tennis elbow is the layman’s term for tendinopathy, which basically means problems with your tendons.
According to Dr. Neeru Jayanthi, MD, professor at Loyola University Medical Center and author on UpToDate Health website, symptoms include:
- Pain that starts in the elbow, can spread above or below the elbow
- Weakness of the forearm
- Sharp pains, or gradual pains
- Difficulty using the arm to throw or hit things (such as in golf or tennis)
Anyone can get tennis elbow, besides just tennis players. According to WebMD, tennis players make up less than 5% of those diagnosed with tennis elbow. Those affected most are between the ages of 30 and 50 years old. Men are more susceptible than women.
So what can you do to prevent tennis elbow from happening to you?
Dr. Jayanthi offers these tips in her article for patient information:
- Take breaks when using your arm extensively.
- Avoid lifting with your arm out when you can help it.
- Don’t grip things too tensely.
- Help your elbow gain strength by weight training and using a brace.
- Use as much padding as you can when you grip things (extra gloves, extra grip tape for a tennis racket, etc.)
Have other questions about tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow? Let us help you out at Pinto Chiropractic! Give us a call and let us answer your questions! (757) 561-2058
Sources:
Neeru, Jayanthi, MD. “Patient Information: Elbow Tendinopathy (tennis and Golf Elbow) (Beyond the Basics).” Up To Date. Wolters Kluwer Health, 5 Apr. 2013. Web. 21 May 2013.
“Tennis Elbow Symptoms, Braces, Treatments, Support, and More.” WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 21 May 2013.