Tennis players can experience a painful condition known as tennis elbow. While the pain usually affects the area around the elbow, it is not uncommon to feel discomfort around the wrist joint. Repetitive movements, such as swinging at a tennis ball, can cause inflammation and irritation, resulting in tendinitis. While tennis may be the likely culprit, some instances of wrist pain may be due to causes that are unrelated to your tennis game.
Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow is the term for a type of tendinitis that is due to repetitive motions within your wrist or arm. As the name suggests, this condition mainly causes discomfort around the elbow. However, tennis elbow can also cause pain and stiffness beyond the elbow joint. Using a poor technique in executing the tennis backhand can increase your chances of developing this common disorder.
Symptoms
Tennis elbow generally causes mild to severe discomfort that radiates from the elbow, along the forearm and into the wrist. Along with the pain, you may notice a feeling of weakness in your affected arm. The discomfort in your arm and wrist can make it difficult to turn a doorknob, shake hands or hold a beverage. While tennis elbow may resolve on its own, recurrent cases often lead to chronic pain that continues to affect your ability to lift and grasp objects.
Treatments
Self-care can help resolve a mild case of tennis elbow. Adjusting your backhand swing may help you avoid future occurrences. Resting the affected arm and applying ice to the elbow and wrist joints can help soothe the pain and reduce swelling. MayoClinic.com recommends rest, ice, compression and elevation, commonly referred to as R.I.C.E. Wearing a forearm splint during the night can help improve morning stiffness, while over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicines can help reduce swelling and temporarily relieve pain. Prescription pain relievers, physical therapy or surgery may be necessary to treat persistent cases of wrist pain.
Other Causes
Your doctor can perform mobility tests to determine whether your pain is due to the sport of tennis or if it has a separate cause. Other possible causes of wrist pain include a bone fracture, infection, gout, rheumatoid arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome and ganglion cysts. Playing tennis may increase the pain and discomfort of these other conditions, making it important to obtain a medical examination.
