How is tennis elbow treated?

Tennis elbow is a condition that is usually seen in men between thirty to fifty years of age who are either active in sports or are in an occupation that requires them to use the arm in a repetitive motion. The people commonly hit by this condition are mechanics, carpenters, cooks, and the like.

The elbow joint is a hinge that basically just closes and opens. When performing a task that makes you use your arm in a repetitive twisting motion, extra stress is put on the tendon that connects your hand and forearm muscles to your upper arm bone. Over time, the tendons may become damaged, causing tennis elbow.

To diagnose tennis elbow, orthopedic doctors will make you perform various movements that will help them rule out other possible causes of pain like arthritis. Once diagnosed, a non-surgical treatment - such as bracing - is often prescribed. Healing time usually last from six to twelve months.

Although non-surgical measures are 90% successful, some patients still need to go through orthopedic surgery to fix the damaged elbow. This means repairing the muscle-tendon unit around the elbow by trimming damaged portions of the tendon tissue, cutting the tendon, and allowing it to mend on its own. Recovery time will last from three to six months and a rehabilitation program must be followed for full treatment.

You don't have to take the pain. If you think you are suffering from tennis elbow, talk to the nearest orthopedic doctor in Asheboro!