Tennis elbow is a condition that causes pain around the outside of the elbow. It's also called lateral epicondylitis.
It happens after overuse or repeated action of the muscles near the elbow.
Tennis elbow usually lasts between 6 months and 2 years. Most people make a full recovery within 1 year.
Symptoms of tennis elbow
Tennis elbow causes pain and tenderness on the outside of your elbow. You may also have pain in your forearm and the back of your hand.
You may feel the pain move or get worse when you use your arm.
For example, when you:
- lift or bend your arm
- grip small objects, such as a pen
- twist your forearm, such as turning a door handle or opening a jar
- fully extend your arm
The pain can range from mild discomfort when you use your elbow to severe pain even when your elbow is still.
Causes of tennis elbow
The cause of tennis elbow is overuse of the muscles attached to your elbow that you use to straighten your wrist.
When you strain these muscles, tiny tears can develop near the bony lump on the outside of your elbow. This lump is called the lateral epicondyle. It can then get inflamed.
Tennis elbow is sometimes caused by playing tennis.
But you can get tennis elbow by doing any activity that involves:
- twisting your wrist
- bending your elbow
- using your forearm muscles
It can sometimes happen if you bang your elbow.
Similar pain in the inner side of the elbow is called golfer's elbow. Tennis elbow and golfer's elbow can happen at the same time.
Examples of activities that can cause tennis elbow
Examples include:
- racket sports such as tennis, badminton or squash
- sports that involve throwing
- using hand tools such as gardening shears, screwdrivers or scissors
- typing, sewing or other activities that involve repetitive hand and wrist movements
- playing an instrument such as the violin
When to contact your GP
Avoid the activity that causes the pain until your symptoms improve.
If the pain in your elbow does not go away after a few days of rest, contact your GP.
Your GP may:
- check for swelling and tenderness
- do some tests - for example, ask you to stretch out your fingers and flex your wrist while your elbow is straight
Your GP may refer you for more tests if they think there is nerve damage.
Tests can include:
- an ultrasound scan
- an MRI scan
- nerve conduction studies - measures how well an electrical signal moves through your nerve
Treating tennis elbow
Tennis elbow will usually get better over time without treatment. Rest your injured arm and stop any activity that causes the pain.
To help with the pain, you can:
- put a cold compress on your elbow for a few minutes several times a day - you can use a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel
- take painkillers such as paracetamol
If you have ongoing pain, your GP may recommend other treatment such as physiotherapy.
Preventing tennis elbow
It is not always easy to avoid getting tennis elbow. Try to reduce the stress on the muscles around your elbow. This may stop your tennis elbow from getting worse.
To prevent tennis elbow or stop it coming back, you can:
Do
-
stop the activity that causes the pain
-
find another way of doing the activity so that it does not cause pain or stress on your muscles
-
use your full arm instead of just your wrist or elbow when possible
-
get coaching to improve your technique if you play a sport with repetitive movements
-
warm up and stretch your arm muscles before you play a sport
-
use lightweight tools or rackets with a bigger grip size - this reduces the strain on your tendons
-
wear a brace or splint when you're using your arm to stop further damage to your tendons
-
strengthen your forearm muscles - a GP or physiotherapist can tell you about exercises to do
Risk of tennis elbow
Tennis elbow is a common condition.
It's the most common cause of ongoing elbow pain. Tennis elbow happens more often in people between the ages of 35 and 54.
Content supplied by the NHS and adapted for Ireland by the HSE
