Tennis elbow / lateral epicondylalgia

Chronic strain of the elbow muscles

There seems to be two version of this disorder. The first is the more obvious type, which is often called tennis elbow because tennis players can get it from overuse of the forehand shot. This repetitive use of the outer muscles of the elbow can also come on from things like hand tool use, and even keyboard typing at work. In these cases, there can be some useful strategies for modification of tools or activities. For example, the tennis racquet can be made smaller, and the grip size increased / decreased.

The other version is harder to explain – some people just get the condition for no clear reason. In either case, treatment aims to break down any excess tightness in the muscles, using soft tissue techniques and dry needling. Muscle imbalances may be present and stretching and strengthening is usually prescribed. There is limited evidence that straps or braces are helpful, but some people seem to benefit from them.