How to treat a common Repetitive Strain Injury: the "Tennis Elbow"

Tennis elbow – a.k.a. lateral epicondylitis – is one of the most common overuse injuries.

It is usually associated with repetitive finger/wrist movements such as in typing, using a mouse on a computer, wielding a hammer or a racket, or using a screwdriver.

It commonly affects a wide range of office and manual workers: typists, computer operators, carpenters and plumbers, cashiers etc and… yes, racket athletes.

Although there may be no swelling or redness, the condition manifests with pain on the outside of the elbow or in the forearm, worse when gripping a handle or lifting a weight. When it is particularly bad, it may even prevent the sufferer from working.

To the extent that the elbow is an integral part of the upper body at work, tennis elbow is often related to poor working posture, and may be accompanied by wrist, shoulder and/or neck pain as the condition becomes entrenched.

Initially, treatment of tennis elbow involves:

• Resting the joint until the pain subsides, and limiting any aggravating movements of the wrist, elbow or shoulder;
• Applying an ice pack to the elbow for a few minutes at regular intervals to reduce the inflammation
• Light massage therapy of the forearm, and gentle easy movement of the wrist, elbow, shoulder and neck / mid back;
• Increased water intake (not tea or coffee) to facilitate tissue repair.

If the condition has been present for 2-3 months or over, treatment is more involved and diverse:

• More intensive mobilisation of the elbow, but also upper back, neck and other upper limb joints;
• More extensive massage of the elbow and forearm muscles;
• Contact hydrotherapy (application of hot/cold water) to encourage local blood supply and tissue repair;
• Home and workplace exercises emphasising stretching of the wrist muscles and movements of the upper limb and neck;
• Adapting the work station, e.g. bringing the mouse closer to the keyboard, using wrist rests, using larger, shock absorbing handles on work tools.

If you think you are suffering from tennis elbow, please call us on 01895 20 00 50 to discuss your symptoms and seek further advice. Our clinic is located on Uxbridge high street. Bridge to Health also arranges drop-in employee health checks on site at local businesses and organisations as part of its Corporate Services offer, providing busy workers an opportunity to discuss and take action on health issues that might otherwise go unchecked. Do contact us if we can help!