Tennis & Golfer's Elbow
Pain from direct injury to the elbow or repeated overuse of the arm.
Homemakers doing a lot of housework, office workers at the computer, and people doing wallpapering, painting or racket sports use the forearm muscles heavily, causing tiny tears in the tendons and pain.
Common causes
01
Overuse of the arm and hand
02
Repeated small impacts to the arm
03
Congenital arm muscle problems or sports injuries
Signs to watch for
- Pain when pressing the inner or outer elbow
- Pain when gripping, wringing a cloth or twisting
- Elbow stiffness on waking
How we diagnose
X-ray
The basic first test. Further tests may be added for a definite diagnosis.
Ultrasound
Examines the joint while it moves, so problems that appear only in certain positions can be found. Inflamed areas can be treated with guided injections at the same time.
How we treat it
Rest, observation and changing habits can improve symptoms. Injured muscles and ligaments are easily re-injured, so avoid straining the elbow for at least a few months.
Non-surgical injection therapy
Prolotherapy injects directly into weakened ligaments or tendons to reinforce the fibrous tissue, or a hyaluronic acid injection, a main component of joint fluid, is placed into weakened cartilage.
Extracorporeal shockwave therapy
Used across orthopedics, physical therapy and sports medicine, shockwave therapy aids recovery without surgery or painkillers and suits many conditions that cause acute or chronic pain.
Arthroscopy
Through a minimal incision under about 5 mm, an arthroscope with a tiny camera and special instruments is inserted into the joint. It shows areas that are hard to see on X-ray, allowing accurate diagnosis and treatment at the same time.
When surgery is consideredIf a nerve is compressed, surgery may be needed to treat the cause, such as arthroscopic nerve decompression, anterior transposition of the ulnar nerve or neurolysis.