Tennis Elbow
Are You Experiencing Elbow Pain as a Result of a Sudden Injury or Chronic Usage?
The orthopedic surgeons and sports medicine experts at Westchester Sport and Spine are here to help you with your elbow pain no matter how mild or severe. With 40 years of combined experience diagnosing elbow pain and treating elbow injuries, the fellowship trained specialists at Westchester Sport and Spine provide you with the highest level of care for surgical and non-surgical elbow procedures.
About the Elbow
The elbow is one of the most complex joints of the body and, along with our knees, it’s one of the most commonly used joints in sports and daily activities. This makes our elbows especially prone to wear and tear. One such injury is tennis elbow, which occurs when the elbow is overused and the tendons attaching to your forearm become inflamed, requires medical attention to avoid permanent damage.
About Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow is a common condition that often occurs in patients who enjoy playing sports like tennis and racquetball. Tennis elbow is commonly treated at Westchester Sport and Spine as it begins to affect the way that individuals are able to play and complete their daily activities.
This condition develops through repeated use of the elbow as the same motions are repeated over and over again. In the case of tennis and racquetball, the motion of swinging is often enough cause for tennis elbow to develop over time. There is no set “timeline” for tennis elbow to develop, as everyone is different, but it is important to pay attention to any pain, swelling, or discomfort in your elbow following sporting events.
Symptoms of tennis elbow include pain or tenderness on the outside area of your elbow. Pain can sometimes travel to your forearm and wrist, depending on what is affected by the condition and how advanced it is. A weakened grip is another telltale symptom of tennis elbow when combined with generalized elbow pain.
Tennis Elbow Treatment Options
The first line of defense against tennis elbow is to give your body time to rest and recover after sporting events. Make sure your trainings or scheduled games are spaced out appropriately and that you stop playing if you begin to experience pain.
If you are feeling sore or tender following training, it is best to rest and apply ice to soothe the irritated tendons.
Once you are seen at Westchester Sport and Spine, we will perform a series of tests to determine if you are suffering from tennis elbow or another condition, like arthritis. These tests can potentially include x-rays or an MRI.
After you are diagnosed with tennis elbow, our team will work with you to find the most effective treatment option. Physical therapy, rest, and a brace are often helpful in alleviating symptoms for our patients. In other cases, steroid injections are needed.
If symptoms of tennis elbow have not improved within 6-12 months, surgery may have to become an option to improve the quality of life and comfort of the patient.
Call Us Immediately
If your elbow pain is caused by an injury and is accompanied by any of the symptoms below, please call Westchester Sport and Spine immediately and then ask someone to drive you to our clinic.
- Your elbow appears deformed
- Inability to extend or flex your arm
- Extreme bruising
- Intense pain
- Sudden swelling