Living in The Woodlands keeps one extremely busy and our lifestyles have tied us to long stretches of computer use. These type of repetitive motions in a static position can place increased stress on the body. A commonly affected area is the outer elbow in which the tendons of the forearm and hand attach. Inflammation in this area is called lateral epicondylitis or tennis elbow. Tennis elbow is a condition that is caused by chronic exhaustion and strain in the muscles that lift the wrist, hand and fingers, (the muscles located on the back of the forearm), and/or an inflammatory condition of their tendons.
Tennis elbow can be felt as a hot, sharp pain at the elbow itself, or as more of an aching pain that spreads from the elbow to the hand and wrist that could indicate a more muscular cause of tennis elbow. Many physicians believe that micro tears in the tendons surrounding the elbow is the source of tennis elbow pain. The pain is usually worse with gripping of the hand with the elbow in an extended position.
What can be done regarding treatment options for tennis elbow?
There are many treatment options that can be considered, but those listed below should be your first line of defense.
- Rest: Resting the affected area should be your first treatment of tennis elbow, as well as for any other musculoskeletal sports injury. Choosing not to rest your tennis elbow can cause it to worsen and become a chronic injury.
- Ergonomic Modifications: When sitting at your desk at home or at work in The Woodlands, you should consider your posture, as well as the positions of your wrist, elbow, and shoulder while working or using a computer. The keyboard should be flat and the mouse should be easy to use and maneuver. If the mouse and keyboard are not keeping your arm joints in a neutral position, the repetitive motions can cause inflammation and strain.
- Physical Therapy: There are several physical therapy techniques for tennis elbow at Motion Physical Therapy which can decrease healing time and increase function. These may include stretching and mobilizing as well as contrast hydrotherapy and friction massage. Your physical therapist can also advise you in strengthening strategies, as well as techniques to help you avoid tennis elbow in the future.
The staff at Motion Physical Therapy in The Woodlands would be honored to help you through the process to return to your favorite activities without pain or limitations. Please give us a call at (281) 881-7099 or contact us if you are experiencing tennis elbow pain. We would be happy to help you recover!
