Tennis elbow is the most common overuse injury of the extensor forearm muscles of the elbow. It should be noted that despite it’s name, only about 5% of people suffering with tennis elbow actually relate it to tennis! The tendinopathy condition is often related to the chronic overloading and stress of the tendon near it’s attachment at the elbow. It can occur with repetitive upper extremity activities such as heavy lifting, repetitive vibrations, and computer use. Occupations with repetitive one-sided movements such as electricians, carpenters, gardeners, and office workers are generally more susceptible to this condition.
The most common symptom for lateral epicondyalgia is pain local at the origin of the forearm extensors. It can radiate upwards along the upper arm and also downwards towards the outside of the forearm.
Treatment strategies include addressing the flexibility and strength of the forearm extensors and deficient posterior shoulder muscles. It also includes activity modification and load management from the manual tasks that irritate the tendons. Other modalities such as shockwave therapy is also important for the recovery of the tendon. Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) or more simply referred shockwave is a common non-invasive tool to help treat degenerative tendons. Shockwave utilises strong mechanical wave impulses to kickstart the body’s natural healing response and reverse chronic inflammation of the tendons.