Epicondylitis
(Tennis or Golfer’s Elbow)
Epicondylitis is the inflammation of the tendons that connect to the bones around the elbow.
Tennis or Golfer’s elbow is a term used to describe inflammation of the tendons (tendonitis) that originate at a bony prominence of the elbow. Symptoms of tennis elbow include pain and aching at the outside of the elbow, sometimes radiating into the forearm. Pain usually increases with activities that involve repetitive movement of the hand or elbow, lifting weight with the involved arm, gripping with the hand, or sports that require throwing or hitting (e.g. tennis). These activities may overload tissue around the elbow, resulting in increased inflammation and pain.
The good news is that this is generally a process which rarely requires surgical treatment. Most of our patients get better with the non-surgical measures. The frustrating part of this affliction is that it may take a long time to resolve (number of months). This is because it is very easy to re-injure with a variety of activities, particularly the activities of daily living.
Treatment
The main goals of treatment are to decrease inflammation of the tendon and allow for healing to occur. Conservative options such as activity modification, bracing and anti-inflammatory medications can help alleviate pain. It is important to identify the predisposing or aggravating factors in order to reduce the risk of recurrence.