What is It?
Tennis elbow is a slight tear or inflammation of the extensor carpi radialis brevis or longus mechanism, which may occur during a variety of different activities. The injury earned its name by plaguing several famous tennis players, but the vast majority of people with tennis elbow have never picked up a racquet. If you need more info, click here.
How and Why
This bothersome and often long-term injury is extremely common. It regularly afflicts people who lift heavy objects, scrub floors, wait tables, type at computers for extended periods of time, do massage for a living, or perform various types of construction work
--as well as those who play racquet sports. When racquet enthusiasts get tennis elbow, it's usually because they haven't warmed up properly, they've played for too long, or they've played with poor form, causing unnecessary strain to the extensor muscles of the wrist. If you want to read more info, click here.
Medical Treatment
l. Deep Massage and Friction Therapy
A combination of deep massage of the forearm muscles (to enhance circulation) and friction therapy of the tendon (to diminish adhesive scar tissue) is often an effective treatment for tennis elbow. Perform the friction first and end the treatment with massage. If the client is very sensitive at the injury site, you might experiment with alternating between the two. Read more about Exercise Rehabilitation and Injection Therapy.
