TENNIS ELBOW / LATERAL  EPICONDYLITIS

Lateral Epicondylitis, also known as “Tennis Elbow”, and lately proposed as Lateral Elbow (or Epicondyle) Tendinopathy (LET)  is the most common overuse syndrome in the elbow. As the last description implies, it is a tendinopathy injury involving the extensor muscles of the forearm. These muscles originate on the lateral epicondylar region of the distal humerus. In many cases, the insertion of the extensor carpi radialis brevis is involved.

CAUSES

1. Inflammation
2. Microscopic tearing
3. Degenerative Process
4. Hypovascularity

Clinical Presentation

1.  Faint pain a couple of hours after the provoking activity.
2. Pain at the end of or immediately after the provoking activity. 3. Pain during the provoking activity 4. Constant pain, which prohibits any activity.

Physiotherapy Management

General physiotherapy management methods for Lateral  Epicondylitis may include: 

• Education/Advice on pain control and/or modification of activities
• Modalities- Ice, Massage, Ultrasound, Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS), Laser, Shockwave Therapy
• Supervised Exercises- Strengthening and Stretching
• Manual therapy- Mulligan – Mobilisation with movement
• DeepTransverse Friction
• Exercise therapy
• Stretching
• Theraband Exercise
• Taping