1. Tennis Elbow Causes Specific Pain
Known also as lateral epicondylitis, tennis elbow's a pretty painful condition. Similar to those of tendonitis, the common symptoms of tennis elbow are aching and inflammation near the bony protrusion on the outside of the joint. Tennis elbow's similar to golf elbow in terms of discomfort, only the two differ in their location (golf elbow occurs on the inside of the joint). Although sufferers usually only feel pain when they're actively using the muscles of their forearm and wrist, severe cases of tennis elbow may cause continual inflammation that lasts well after heavy use of the joint.
2. Players of All Ages Suffer
Since tennis elbow's an overuse injury, it generally pops up in the arms of players who spend a lot of time on the court. Statistically, folks between the ages of 30 and 50 are most likely to experience the condition, but it can affect players of any age, including young children. Aside from heavy use, the other major contributing factors behind tennis elbow are stroke technique and muscle strength. Players with poorly-executed strokes, especially backhands, stand a strong chance of developing tennis elbow, as do players with weak forearms.
3. Strings, Stretching and Strength Prevent Injury
There are a number of simple ways you can prevent tennis elbow before it develops. One of the best ways is to strengthen the muscles of your forearm and wrist. Grip squeezes and wrist rolls are helpful in building these muscles, which help stabilize the tendons in your elbow during your stroke. Similarly, stretching is also important because it keeps your muscles from tightening up and tearing during hard hits. You can also put softer strings on your tennis racquet. Natural gut strings are much easier on the elbow than synthetics. They're also more expensive, but they'll give you better control over your shots and better feel for the ball. Contrary to popular belief, string dampeners haven't been medically proven to prevent or alleviate the symptoms of tennis elbow.
4. Soothe the Inflammation With Rest and Meds
Like tendonitis and other inflammatory conditions, such as arthritis, tennis elbow is best treated with a combination of rest, ice and pain medication. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like Advil or Ibuprofen work great for reducing the aches and pains associated with tennis elbow. If you can afford to take a break from playing tennis for a while, giving your elbow a week or two to heal can make a huge difference in the severity of your symptoms. If this isn't an option, try icing your elbow for 15 minutes or so after each time you play.
5. Not Just Tennis Elbow
Despite what its name implies, tennis elbow can affect people who don't even play tennis. If you use your hands and wrists to twist, strike and grip objects, you are at risk for the condition. Included in the list of people who are most susceptible to tennis elbow are musicians, artists, carpenters, dentists, butchers and plumbers.
