Sports Medicine Mystery: I have tennis elbow… but I don’t play tennis!
If you're like millions of people around the world who have been diagnosed with tennis elbow, you may be asking yourself how is this possible? I don't play tennis!
Believe it or not, less than five percent of people diagnosed with tennis elbow actually play tennis. First off, let's take a look at what Lateral Epicondylitis (a.k.a. tennis elbow) actually is and why non-tennis players get it. We call it tennis elbow because many tennis players (10-50 percent of players) get this injury as the tennis swing really challenges or stresses a group of muscles on the side elbow area. Playing even a small amount of tennis on a regular basis can lead to overuse of the muscles/tendons in the forearm (see below) which creates inflammation and irritation.
Now, for the 95 percent of people who have tennis elbow and don't play tennis, think about your day and think how often you are making your wrist extend. You must be doing something throughout your day that is causing the wrist to extend too much or too often (demonstarted below). Could it be while typing on your computer? Texting on your phone? Waving to all of your adoring fans? Whatever it is, try making adjustments to your day to avoid these positions.
To avoid tennis elbow, start by eliminating wrist extension. The easiest way to do this at the office or at home is to improve your body position while on your computer. Try to lower your chair or elevate your keyboard so that your wrist is in a straight or neutral position. You can also get a keyboard bumper that lays at the end of your keyboard. This little cushion helps prop up your wrist to again it straighten out. By keeping your wrist in a more neutral position, you give the muscles that extend your wrist a break.
If you are already experiencing pain in your forearm or have been officially diagnosed with tennis elbow, try stretching your hand/wrist/fingers in a flexed position (see below) throughout the day so you feel a minor stretch in the tender area or your forearm. Hold this position for only about 5 seconds at a time without pushing too hard.
If you think that you might have tennis elbow but aren't sure, seek out the help of a medical professional who can help point you in the right direction.
Dr. Legere is a Chiropractic physician specializing in athletic injuries and physical pain. He is a published author, medical consultant to professional athletes and musicians and the creator of PATCH Technique which is a conservative approach to help people dealing with muscular or soft tissue injuries. More information on Dr. Legere can be found at patchchiro.com.
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