Don't give tennis the elbow
- Cheryl Morton
- Jul 17, 2024
- 2 min read
We are almost at that time of year when the country seemingly goes mad for tennis. Overnight the grass, concrete, clay and artificial courts around the country are suddenly in use as hundred of thousands of people dust off racquets, inspired by Wimbledon and the events at the All England Club. Such is the impact that when Great Britain finally had a winner an increase of over four-hundred thousand people booked a court that summer (1). Elsewhere in the world, the US estimates that seventeen point nine million people regularly play, peaking at higher levels whenever a Grand Slam event takes place (2). With so many people taking part, you would expect the prevalence of injuries to be extremely high, with the potential for soft tissue injuries at each major joint as players dart across the court with each delivery. However, it’s actually one of the safer sports to take part it, with some studies estimating as little as 4.9 injuries per thousand hours of game time! (2). Common injuries are often related to lower extremities associated with the surface changes that competition offers, reports of this differ throughout the year however. Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis, is an overuse injury that normally effects tennis players who play throughout the year but can occur in recreational athletes too, as well as those who take part in other sports such as Crossfit, Weightlifting, Gymnastics and rock climbers. The typical symptoms are pain or stiffness on the outside of the elbow that intensifies upon movement, it can effect your daily life if left untreated as chronic pain sets in. Half of all tennis players worldwide experience the condition, with excessive tightening of the grip during a backhand stroke often diagnosed as the culprit. So how do we treat this? Traditionally, medical advice has been to avoid daily exercise or activities that aggravate the condition, which is difficult if your work involves constant use of your hands. Dependent on the pain level, you can experience pain carrying heavy loads on a building site or using a computer, effecting more or less every job role. Painkillers and elbow supports are available, but the best thing you can do is to visit a sports therapist for assessment. If the elbow is taking an unusal load, technique corrections aside, tightness or discomfort can also be reported at the shoulder, neck and wrist and therefore will need addressing. If left untreated steroid injections and surgical interventions are further options, but if you recognise the symptoms early enough these can be avoided by implementing massage, alongside a stretching and strength training program designed by an expert. Seeking a qualified coach to refine your technique could also be beneficial in the long run. As previously mentioned lateral epicondylitis can effect anyone, if you are experiencing it and haven’t caught the tennis bug this summer, have a chat with one of our highly experienced therapists.
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