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Tennis elbow, medically named lateral epicondylitis, is an inflammatory condition affecting the outside of the elbow. This elbow pain is due to tendonitis and periostitis (inflammation of the outer layer of the bone) where the tendon for the common wrist extensor muscles attaches to the humerus. This results in pain with any activity involving the contraction or moderate stretching of the wrist extensor muscles. It is not just tennis backhands that put a stress on the muscles of the forearm and their attached tendon. Activities such as using a screwdriver, typing, or writing can all cause the typical tennis elbow pain. How do you know if you have tennis elbow? Try lifting a book with your palm facing down to the floor. If it causes pain on the outside of the elbow, you probably have tennis elbow. Thus tennis elbow is not so much a problem with the elbow joint, as with overuse of the muscles that are connected to the elbow - those same muscles which extend or straighten the wrist - as in the tennis backhand. Too much tension in the muscle group can also cause a decrease in the joint space in the elbow and actual inflammation of the joint. In time this can cause not just the typical pain from the epicondylitis, but also from the elbow joint itself. Treatment normally consists of some lifestyle modification, plus anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxant medication. Physiotherapy such as TENS, ultrasound, laser therapy, and interferential current can also prove helpful. Since the elbow joint can get involved, chiropractic manipulation of the joint, for instance using Graston, active release, cross-fiber massage or other soft-tissue therapies, can be very helpful. By doing a chiropractic adjustment, pressure is taken of the joint by briefly separarting the joint surfaces by just a couple of millimeters. Easing that pressure eases the pain. Sometimes some manipulation of the wrist can also help. The theory is that since the muscles involved with this condition help to move the wrist, it should aid in the speed of recovery if the wrist motion is maintained. If the wrist tightens, the muscles need to work harder to move the wrist. This results in tightness in the wrist extensors which then exacerbates the condition. The use of a tennis elbow band may also prove effective in decreasing symptoms. This works by forming an artificial origin for the muscle before it crosses the elbow. This allows a decrease in tension of the wrist extensor muscles as they cross the elbow which eases tension on the lateral epicondyle and decreases pressure on the elbow. Also, though rest would be ideal, there may be times when lifting is needed to be done. In this case, one should only attempt to lift with the palm of the hand turned upward. This uses the wrist flexors more than the wrist extensors. You can also try supplementing with Vitamin B6 and limiting your salt intake as it helps to reduce the amount of water taken in by the body. It is best to check with your medical doctor or chiropractic professional if you feel that you have this condition for with proper assessment, a treatment plan can be initiated will help with accelerated recovery.
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Frustrated by pain caused by tennis elbow? Need some tennis elbow treatment? Read our other articles by Dr. Steven Trembecki, D.C. on chiropractic treatments. Click here for other unique tennis elbow articles.
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