Joseph J. Schreiber, MD

Tennis elbow

Tennis elbow, or “lateral epicondylitis”, is condition causing pain along the outside of the elbow.  The muscles that extend the wrist and open the fingers insert into a portion of the bone on the outside of the elbow called the “lateral epicondyle”.  Small tears of the muscle at its insertion site (the tendon) is a common cause of pain in the area that is experienced when lifting or grasping objects. 

Causes

Common causes include overuse, or trauma to the forearm muscles, especially the extensor carpi radialis brevis, an important muscle for extending the wrist (such as when hitting a backhand in tennis).  Tennis elbow is frequently seen in individuals between 30 and 60 years of age, and has been referred to as a “rite of passage of middle age”.

Diagnosis

Tennis elbow can be diagnosed by talking with your doctor and having them examine your elbow.  There is often pain when pushing on the “lateral epicondyle” along the outside of the elbow, and when opening the finger or extending the wrist against resistance. 

Non-surgical treatment

• Activity modification - avoid aggravating activities, and focus on lifting objects with your palms facing up, which puts less tension on your extensor muscles.

• Anti-inflammatories - medications such as ibuprofen or naproxen can decrease inflammation and discomfort. Occasionally a topical anti-inflammatory will be prescribed.

• Bracing - counterforce strap or wrist brace can limit painful motion and activities.

• Steroid injection - a cortisone injection into the injured tendon along the outside of the elbow can decrease pain and inflammation.

• Dry needling - can stimulate a bleeding and elicit a healing response in cases where the tendon is taking a prolonged time to heal.

• Stretches - working with a therapist of performing stretches at home can decrease tension, increase tendon gliding and motion, and facilitate healing.

MRI

• If over 6 months have passed, and symptoms have not improved to an acceptable level with other treatments, an MRI is sometimes obtained to evaluate the extend of the injury.

• In severe cases of tennis elbow, the tendon that extends the wrist and fingers can tear off of the bone along the outside of the elbow.

• Inflammatory can develop at the injury site, which is painful and can block normal healing.

Surgical treatment

• Surgery is rarely required, as the condition tends to improve with time.

• If over 6 months have passed, symptoms persist and an MRI shows a tear of the tendon, surgery may be considered to repair the torn muscle/tendon back to the bone.

• Surgery involves removing the injured and inflamed portion of the tendon and suturing the remaining, healthy tendon back to the bone. 

• This is an outpatient surgery, which is done through a 1-2 inch incision along the outside of the elbow, and typically takes about 30 minutes.

• Healing of the repaired tendon takes ~6 weeks. During this period, motion of the elbow, wrist and hand is allowed without limits. However, lifting more than a few pounds with the injured side is avoided to allow healing

• The forearm is usually temporarily weak and achy after recovery, and therapy is often helpful to restore strength and function.

Click here to read more about tennis elbow.

Dr. Schreiber is a board certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in hand, wrist, and elbow conditions. Dr. Schreiber practices at the Raleigh Orthopaedic Clinic in Raleigh, North Carolina.