When I served during my last match, I felt a pain in my elbow section. just below the shoulders up to the elbow. Is this the tennis elbow? How did I got it? and how can i get rid of it?
Ok, so sorry for m wrong info.. it’s not my elbow that hurts.. it’s my triceps? hmm I dunno much about anatomy, but it’s the muscle between my elbow and shoulders, the muscle below the shoulder.
Category: Tennis Elbow
How To Avoid Tennis Elbow Problems
I just started playing tennis, whats a good way NOT to get tennis elbow, like things I should avoid.
What Is Tennis Elbow?
What exactly is tennis elbow and how do you cure it? because I think I now have it because my elbow hurts and I’ve been playing a lot of tennis lately.
Tennis Elbow Treatment & Exercises For Hand Muscle Strength
This is a comprehensive video that will give you an indication as to what you can do about tennis elbow.
Dr. Terry Zachary explains treatment and the cause of tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) and demonstrates hand muscle strengthening exercise for injury prevention, prevention of pain and tenderness and therapy and rehabilitation of elbow pain conditions gaining relief using Handmaster Plus. Handmaster Plus is a best treatment exercise for complete hand, wrist, forearm and arm strengthening for all grip strength and training and power sports, including golf, tennis, baseball, basketball, football, hockey, gymnastics, body building, jet ski, motocross, skido, quad, climbing, bowling, arm wrestling, martial arts, ultimate fighting, UFC, snow board, boxing, karate, Jiu jitsu, lacrosse, cricket, rugby, shooting and archery. The Handmaster Plus provides complete strengthening, treatment and training exercises that strengthen the finger and wrist extensor muscles as well as the finger flexor muscles, providing complete strength, stability and rehabilitation. Handmaster Plus is also used by musicians, including string instruments, guitar (guitarist, banjo, violin, bass, fiddle), drums (drummers), keyboard (piantists, piano, organ, organists) and wind instruments (flute, saxophone, trombone, clarinet, etc.) to maximize performance and prevent pain and injury and provide relief from pain. Handmaster Plus is used in the workplace (crafts, dentists, dental techs, surgeon, beauticians, barbers, computer workers, video games, PDA, etc.) to treat, prevent and provide relief from repetitive stress injuries.
Physical Therapy Techniques for Tennis Elbow
Tennis Elbow Exercises
Tennis elbow is a condition that affects sportsman and other individuals more often than tennis players. Tennis elbow is a long-lasting condition and hence the prognosis depends on early measures of rehabilitation comprising of rest and exercises.
Tennis elbow also known as ‘lateral epicondylitis’ is a stress injury with symptoms of pain and swelling at the lateral side of the elbow. Tenderness is elicited at the elbow laterally near the insertion of ‘extensor tendon’. It affects golfers, bowlers, racquet players, gardeners, carpenters, housekeepers, industrial workers and in those where the occupation demands repeated activities of hands and forearm.
Resting the forearm, applying icepacks and administering proper painkillers helps treat acute cases of tennis elbow with severe pain. This aids in quick healing of the micro tears in the tendons and muscles of the elbow. Physiotherapy and exercises contribute to strengthen and improve movements of the muscles of forearm.
Tennis Elbow Exercises
Tennis elbow exercises recover the flexibility and strength of muscles of forearm and wrists. These exercises also ensure proper blood circulation to the injured part and promote healing. The intensity of exercises should be increased gradually and avoid doing the ones that are painful. Exercises for lateral epicondylitis consists of stretching and strengthening exercises at the wrist, elbow and forearm.
Ball Squeezing Exercise
This exercise builds up the muscle power and durability to further withstand weight exercises. Hold a soft squeeze ball in your hand for a few seconds and release. Repeat the exercise 10-15 times twice a day.
Stretching Exercises for Tennis Elbow
Warming up of wrist joint and elbow joint is necessary before exercising the muscles. The normal range of movement at the wrist consists of palmar flexion, extension and lateral deviations. The range of motions at the elbow consists of flexion and then straightening of the elbow. These movements should be practiced 2-3 times in sets of 10.
Another stretching exercise is pronation and supination of the forearm. It is done by rotation of the palms downwards and upwards respectively without bending the wrist.
Strengthening Exercises for Tennis Elbow
- Rest the forearm with wrist and palm facing downwards at the edge of a table. Hold a weight of around 400-500 g in the hand and bend the wrist downwards and then straighten it. Repeat the exercise for 2 minutes until the wrists are worked sufficiently.
- Rest the forearm with wrist and palm facing upwards from the edge of the table. Hold the weight in the hand, flex the wrists and then lower it down.
- Stand upright with the arms held out. Hold a stick in your hand and attach weights to it with a rope that reaches the ground. Roll the rope around the stick completely with the rotational movements at the wrist. Unroll the rope again so that it touches the ground.
- The same exercise should be repeated with palm facing downwards and upwards. This helps in strengthening the wrist flexor pronators as well as extensors respectively.
- Practice pronation and supination with appropriate weights or dumbbells. Another exercise is to place the wrist on a table with thumb facing upwards. Hold a hammer in hand and raise the wrist so that the thumb is pointing towards the ceiling. Straighten the wrist and repeat the exercise for 2 minutes. Same method can be followed while moving the wrist outwards towards the little finger.
In all the above weight exercises increase the weight gradually as the movements become easier without increasing the frequency of exercise. Initial weight can be 400 g and the duration around 120-160 seconds. The sets should be repeated after a resting period of 1-2 minutes.
These exercises help in improving the joint flexibility of wrist and elbow in all directions. Sports persons should consult a physiotherapist for overall strength training to avoid undue strain on body parts that are overused. Immediate treatment and physical therapy would prevent further episodes of tennis elbow. Recovery would depend upon age, general fitness level and the extent of injury.
| By Dr. Meenaz M Published: 5/30/2008 |
Tennis Elbow Surgery
When should you go for tennis elbow surgery?
Are you experiencing unbearable pain in your elbow every time you touch it or move it? Well, this could be due a condition called as "tennis elbow" that develops due to tiny tears occurring in the tendon and in the muscle coverings. The condition is more prevalent among tennis players though others can get it too. While the condition can usually be treated by means of proper exercise, medication and/or the use of elbow braces that support and strengthen the elbow, tennis elbow surgery sometimes remains the only choice in stubborn cases of tennis elbow.
In most cases, the body can heal on its own and all you need to do is rest the elbows by eliminating aggravating activities from your routine for some time to enable this natural body healing. However in more severe cases of tennis elbow, the pain persists for several months necessitating fast remedial action. A tennis elbow surgery is then advised to get quick relief from the agonizing pain and discomfort.
Some of the most common treatment options for tennis elbow or lateral epicondylitis include:
- Trim abnormal tendons 3-4 cm
- Release tendon from bone
- Ossatripsy
Since tennis elbow surgery is usually a treatment option of the last resort, doctors use other treatment options before advising surgery. Over-the-counter medications and icing the affected area are some of the most basic measures used to combat elbow pain. Due to the inherent risks associated with an invasive surgery, doctors recommend surgery only if the patient has a pain level that disrupts his/her routine life. As such, surgery is not considered until a patient has undergone conservative treatment for a minimum period of 6 months. Cortisone shots are also administered to alleviate the elbow pain. If the pain does not subside despite all these efforts, surgery is then considered.
Types of tennis elbow surgery
If all the criteria for surgery are met, doctors may consider one of the two forms of invasive lateral epicondylitis surgery to treat tennis elbow. The first invasive surgery is carried out to create a 3 – 4 cm incision in the arm. During the surgery, the tendon sheaths are trimmed and the incision is closed thereafter. On the other hand, the second type of invasive surgery is performed to cut open the arm and then release the tendon from the bone by means of a scalpel. Since both types of invasive surgeries are conducted on an outpatient basis, a patient is allowed to go home on the same day after the surgery with the operated arm placed in a sling.
The arm may also be wrapped in a plaster cast depending on the extent of the surgery and doctor’s evaluation. It is important to keep the arm elevated to bring down the swelling. The arm should also be kept dry and clean in order to maintain hygiene. In addition, moisture in the early stages of tennis elbow surgery can weaken the scar tissue of the body and should be avoided at all costs. For best surgical results, it is important to follow your doctor’s advice and consult him/her immediately in case the pain gets worse.
Like any other invasive surgery, tennis elbow surgery also has certain risks associated with it. These include:
- Infection
- Bleeding
- Nerve damage
- May experience difficulty while straightening or extending the arm
- A painful and/or an ugly scar on the skin surface
- Persistent weakness in the arm and/or wrist
In addition, there is always a chance that the treatment may not improve the condition at all or may worsen the elbow pain. It usually takes about three to four weeks to see if the tennis elbow surgery has actually helped in treating the problem. Stitches are generally removed after almost ten to fourteen days after surgery and patients are prohibited from driving for about a week.
For those who are scared of invasive type of surgery can go for ossatripsy, a non-invasive option. Chronic tennis elbow patients have been treated effectively using this method.
Surgery Recovery Period
The term of recovery varies from one patient to another though most patients are able to resume normal life in about three to six weeks. You must however remember that tendons take quite some time to heal though you may not feel pain. Subjecting your elbow to strong forces can delay the healing process and may even result in permanent damage. Any activity that can trigger the problem should therefore be avoided for a period of 12 weeks or more. To get permanent relief from tennis elbow, your doctor may suggest simple exercises that can be easily performed at home or work.
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To get more information on tennis elbow surgery, visit http://tenniselbowsurgery.weebly.com/. For advice on how to avoid tennis elbow and what you can do about it, visit FixTennisElbow.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steven_Inge |
Tennis Elbow Remedys
Treating Tennis Elbow Condition
by: Sharon Hopkins 7eb
Tennis elbow is also known as ‘lateral epicondylitis’. Contrary to popular belief, playing tennis is not the only cause for tennis elbow. In fact, people who suffer from this problem have hardly played the game. In this condition the outer part of the elbow becomes painful and tender. The pain causes the movements of the elbow to be constrained. Simple actions such as lifting, gripping and carrying become difficult. One of the strongest reasons for this condition is the overuse of muscles i.e. the muscles which pull the hand backwards (the wrist extensors). Over straining causes an inflammation that may be swollen, painful and tender. Injury to the arm can be another reason for inflammation. Tennis elbow is mainly caused when some activities like gripping, twisting, reaching and moving are done in an improper manner or an awkward position, repetitive stress, excess force and no time for recovery provided for the wear and tear.
Some of the movements which can be restricted or can avoid repetitiveness are continuous rotation of the forearm and bending of the wrist, gripping in a stressful position by combining inward and outward movement of the forearm, throwing motions and gestures that strike objects with hand.
Common symptoms to be aware when affected by tennis elbow
Your forearm suffers recurring pain on the outside of the upper forearm.
The pain is branched out from the arm towards the wrist.
Pain while lifting or bending the arm.
Pain while grasping small and light objects could be sign of concern.
Trouble or discomfort while extending the arm.
Pain which lasts for 6 to 12 weeks or even more.
Common tips to remember
-Resting is one of the best solutions to treat this problem
-You can use braces which are available in various sports shop. It is very helpful in relieving pain from tennis elbow problem.
-Try to lift objects with your palm facing your body.
– Being aware of the problem and treating it immediately
-Use machines instead of your hands to avoid any repetition
-Allow job rotations for everyone to get used to different muscles
-Use ergonomically designed tools that prevent strain on your hands.
Home remedies for Tennis Elbow
For the inflamed elbow you can use ice compress which helps in decreasing the pain. Ice helps in slowing down the local metabolism, thus helps in relieving pain and muscle spasm.
Use massage therapy.
Do your regular stretching exercises to prevent any kind of friction to your forearms. The stretching helps in strengthening the forearms.
Some exercises you can do to help strengthen your muscles. With the palm facing the ceiling, place your forearm on a desk with the wrist tucked over the edge. Grip any heavy object like a hammer or a two-pound juice can. Lift your hand up and down by moving your wrist, repeat this 20 times. Do this with the both the arms.
Warm and baked potato applied to the elbow can help relief the pain of tennis elbow.
Acupuncture can be used for treating tennis elbow problem. As it stimulates nervous system and also releases pain-relieving endorphins.
Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.
About The Author
Sharon Hopkins, the webmaster of various sites such as http://www.home-remedies-for-you.com helps you in your daily life with its simple and easy home care remedies. Tennis Elbow problem occurs when by overstraining of your arms, by simple home remedies and exercises it can be treated.
This article was posted on August 27, 2006
Elbow Pain
Elbow Pain
Elbow pain can cause a lot of discomfort. Read on for more information on elbow pain.
The room was quiet and John lay on his side watching television. As he got up and began tidying the bed to go to sleep he felt an excruciating pain in his elbow. Taken by surprise, he sat down on the bed and touched the area and found that it was swollen. He sat in the same place for several minutes trying to recall where he could have hurt his elbow. Not able to recall a thing, he went into the kitchen and rubbed some ice over the spot, hoping that the pain and swelling would subside!
What the factors that cause elbow pain?
There are many factors that can cause pain in the elbow, with one of them being tendinitis, which is an injury and inflammation that is caused to the tendons. Most of the people who are at risk of developing elbow pain are those who play racquet sports. The term given to the injury caused because of the above is termed tennis elbow. Of course gardening, using a screwdriver, playing baseball and overusing your wrist may also be the cause of elbow tendinitis.
Apart from the causes mentioned above, a few other factors that contribute to the pain in the elbow are:
- Strain in the elbow
- Any type infection that occurs in the elbow
- Arthritis – This term refers to the narrowing of the joint space as also the loss of the cartilage in the elbow.
- Bursitis – In this case, there is an inflammation of a fluid-filled cushion that is located underneath the skin.
What are the symptoms associated with elbow pain?
Pain, numbness, swelling, tingling and weakness or changes in the color or temperature are some of the common symptoms of elbow pain.
Can I reduce the elbow pain at home?
Yes, you can reduce the pain in the elbow at home. Here are some steps to help you reduce the pain.
- Apply ice by wrapping it in a cloth for about 15 minutes every hour on the first day you notice the pain. Continue applying ice for up to 3 days while increasing the number of hours for e.g. use the application every 3 to 4 hours after the first day.
- Once that is done, wrap the elbow with a bandage. You can also use an air splint to prevent using the elbow.
- If possible, keep your elbow elevated above you heart and give the elbow rest for at least 2 days. It is advisable that you do not return to the activity that resulted in the problem for about 3 weeks.
- Once you find that the pain and swelling has subsided, gradually strengthen the muscles with the help of a physical therapist.
When is it advisable to contact a medical professional?
It is advisable to meet a medical professional if:
- The pain does not improve with the above steps.
- The elbow cannot be used effectively.
- The pain in the elbow is caused because of a direct elbow injury.
- The pain in the elbow is accompanied by fever, swelling and redness.
- There is deformity.
Can elbow pain be prevented? How?
Yes, you can prevent elbow pain. Follow these steps to prevent elbow pain.
- First of all reduce the amount of time you spend in the activity that is the reason for the pain.
- Than warm up slowly, by stretching the forearm before as well as during and after the exercise.
- While playing use an elbow sleeve and the correct grip size as also racquet strings that are not too tight. If you have already suffered an injury, you could use an elbow band too.
- If you have been told to exercise, carry of the regime without fail!
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By Rachna Gupta |
Tennis Elbow Remedies
Tennis Elbow: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment
A Tennis Elbow or Lateral Epicondylitis is a condition when the outer part of the elbow becomes painful and tender, usually as a result of a specific strain, overuse, or a direct bang. Sometimes it’s rather difficult to find a specific cause to this condition.
Symptoms of a Tennis Elbow
The outer part of the elbow is rather painful and tender to touch. Movements of the elbow, and also movements, that involve lifting, with the hand on top, hurt real bad. Any sport, from badminton, to tennis, to golf involves both the massive movement of the wrist and the complete arm. The elbow is one such part which is most often neglected and once affected takes a rather long time to heal.
Causes
Although called tennis elbow, lateral epicondylitis is much more commonly seen in people who are over using their arm doing something else; it could equally well be called "plasterer’s elbow" or "mechanic’s elbow" or "painter’s elbow". The most common cause is the over use of muscles that are attached to the bone at this part of the elbow. This simply refers to all those muscles that pull the hand backwards, in sports like the ones mentioned above. All extensor muscles of the hand attach to the elbow at the outer part (the lateral epicondyle). If they are strained or over used they become inflamed, which means they are swollen, painful and tender to touch.
Regular massages could be one of the most important aspects in avoiding a situation like this one, although you could never really guarantee that such a situation may not arise either ways too. Sometimes the inflammation is caused by a direct injury or bang. Sometimes, especially when the cause is direct injury or strain, the muscles are actually partially torn. In a situation like this, people who are regular beef eaters may not face a terrible situation like this one. Beef ensures the elasticity of the skin and takes good care in keeping the muscles in great shape. Sometimes the problem is partly or completely due to a neck problem, which is causing pain in the elbow via the nerves from the neck.
Diagnosis
Your doctor or physiotherapist may test for tenderness over or near to the bony bump on the outside of the elbow. He or she also tests to see whether the pain gets any worse when you bend the wrist back (extend it) against resistance. In the event of both these signs being present, it is likely that you have tennis elbow. A good physician may also examine your neck, as this may be the cause, or a part of the problem. After all, many of the things that might strain your elbow might also put a strain on your neck.
Treatment
* Rest of course helps the most. It would especially help if it is taken with avoidance of the activities which over use the elbow.
* Physiotherapy treatments also help especially when taken with heat or ultrasound therapy.
* Use of anti inflammatory drugs and ordinary pain killers (analgesics).
* Your doctor may suggest an injection of a small dose of steroid to the affected area. This is not the sort of steroid banned for athletes. If used it can last for up to three months, and although it may need to be repeated you seldom need more than two or possibly three injections.
* Lastly, you can buy a brace from a sports shop or pharmaceutical supplier, which can be helpful. This is probably largely because it reduces the amount you can use your elbow.
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By Prerna Salla Published: 1/23/2005 |