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Tennis Elbow
At this time of the year, when the
sun starts to shine and Wimbledon is just around the corner (June
21-July 4) many people who have been fairly sedentary all through
the winter, get out their tennis racquets and dust them off.
Over the next few months, chiropractors
are going to see many injuries related to this sport because people
have taken too enthusiastically to it.
The risk of injury in any type of sport increases
with age because both the muscle strength and the elasticity of
the ligaments decrease past the age of about thirty.
Obviously, if you are very fit, you warm up, you
train appropriately throughout the year and you are careful not
to continue exercising if you are ill or are injured, you are
less likely to need help from a chiropractor.
The so called tennis
elbow is one of the most common injuries seen from tennis,
together with back and shoulder injuries. The term tennis
elbow is used to describe pain found on the outer part of
the elbow and the upper part of the forearm. Tennis
elbow is due to inflammation of the tendon and bony protuberance
at the outer part of the elbow. Tennis
elbow is in fact an overuse injury. Repetitive, forceful movements
at the wrist, which bring the thumb outwards and the palm upwards,
can cause shortening of the muscles. This causes the attachment
of these muscles at the outer part of the elbow to be placed under
considerable tension and a sudden movement at the wrist may cause
a tear in the muscle and tendon.
The repetitive action of gripping, twisting and
moving the wrist can cause inflammation of the tendon that attaches
to the muscles of the forearm which straighten the fingers and
the wrist.
What are the symptoms?
- Pain
over the outside of the elbow, which may travel up or down the
arm.
- Wrist
weakness.
- Tenderness
over the outside of the elbow.
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What are the causes of tennis elbow?
Obviously, playing
tennis may be one of the cause e.g. if you have a faulty backhand
technique or a faulty grip, but other racquet sports can also
cause the same injury. You may be surprised to hear that D.I.Y.
and gardening can cause this injury (e.g. the use of a screw driver
or the use of garden clippers).
Professionals such as electricians and carpenters
are also prone to this injury.
Tennis elbow is a very disabling condition for
some people. Some sufferers find it difficult to perform simple
tasks like writing, spreading butter on a sandwich or holding
a cup of tea.
What is the treatment?
Initially, it is important
to reduce the inflammation and to rest the elbow as much as possible.
The use of ice is very effective in the first two or three days
but sometimes has to be used for a longer period. Sometimes a
tennis elbow brace may be needed (not an elbow strap), particularly
if the problem is persistent.
Obviously, any faulty techniques in the game must
be corrected. The chiropractor will also examine any area relating
to the function of your elbow and muscles of the forearm, such
as the wrist shoulder and more importantly the neck.
The second part of the treatment involves increasing
the blood circulation to the tissues. This can be done by alternating
hot and cold or the use of ultrasound. When the pain has subsided,
it is possible to undertake a rehabilitation programme of power
and stretching exercises for the elbow and the affected muscles,
taking care that the exercises are done slowly and carefully so
as not to make the condition recur.
Most injuries occur either at the beginning or
the end of the game. Often, at the beginning of the game, this
is because proper warm up techniques haven’t been used whilst
towards the end of the game, injuries may occur when the people
are fatigued.
Don’t forget that a tennis ball travelling at
30 miles per hour is equivalent to lifting 55lbs!
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