What Causes Tennis Elbow & How to Treat it

Despite its name, you don’t have to be a tennis player to suffer from this affliction. In fact, anyone who undergoes repetitive gripping activities can suffer from tennis elbow. 

As the most common culprit for people struggling with elbow pain, it can be a good idea to know exactly what causes tennis elbow, how to identify it and what are the best ways to treat it. 

Fortunately, within the below blog, all of the above will be explained and more. 

What is tennis elbow?

Tennis elbow is a specific type of tendonitis, the swelling of tendons that leads to pain and discomfort in the elbow and arm. Although people of any age can suffer from tennis elbow, it is more common from the age of 40 onwards. 

What causes tennis elbow?

Tennis elbow is not a condition that simply appears overnight. Instead, it develops gradually over time as a result of repetitive motions such as gripping a tennis racket during a swing.

However, as mentioned above, this is not an affliction that only affects tennis players. Other activities that can cause tennis elbow include:

• Racquetball 
• Squash 
• Fencing 
• Weight lifting 
• Typing
• Painting 
• Raking
• Knitting
• Carpentry 

How can I treat tennis elbow?

The good news is that tennis elbow should naturally heal on its own as long as you give your elbow a break and carry out the below steps for speeding up the recovery process. 

Wear an elbow strap

You can find some really effective tennis elbow support products online, with leading manufacturer Bearhug offering a wide range of high-quality straps and sleeves in multiple sizes. 

Ice the elbow

To reduce both pain and swelling, you should regularly ice the affected elbow. Experts recommend icing for between 30-40 minutes every 3-4 hours until the pain has gone. 

Take anti-inflammatories

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, such as Ibuprofen and aspirin, can help you to cope with any pain and help to reduce any swelling. 

Carry out motion exercises

Although you should rest your elbow, it can be a good idea to carry out regular motion exercises to reduce stiffness and increase flexibility. This can be carried out up to 5 times a day. 

Ask for steroid injections

If you have a severe case of tennis elbow, you may want to ask your doctor for an injection of steroids and/or painkillers to help ease some of the swelling and reduce pain. 

How to prevent tennis elbow 

As tennis elbow is a repetitive strain injury, the best way to prevent it is to avoid overuse and to immediately stop the activity you are doing if you experience any pain. 

Other ways to prevent tennis elbow include:

• Always stretching and warming up before any exercise that uses your arm or elbow
• Icing your elbow after use 
• Ensuring you are using the correct technique for any sporting activity 

If you are suffering from tennis elbow, you must make sure that you do not rush your recovery as this can make the damage a lot worse. Instead, give your body the time it needs to heal and refrain from any activity that could slow down the recovery process.