Tennis Elbow Anyone?

Q: I'm hooked on tennis. After playing, my forearm and elbow feel tired. Sometimes it is sore for a few days. I have three questions:

1. Is this tennis elbow?
2. What can I do to feel better?
3. How do I know if I'm getting a real injury?

A:  Injuries often start small.

Tennis elbow is a strain of the extensor muscles at the outside of the elbow (If you set your elbow on the table you can follow the crease out to this bony, and possibly sore, landmark). In the early stages of injury your elbow may feel tight, heavy, weak or achy, but not terrible. If untreated, pain in the elbow will worsen substantially and can become a long-standing, frustrating injury.

Listen to your elbow.

When the elbow calls, don't put it on hold. Pain is a signal for action. The body's cry for help. In this case the three actions I would try first are:

1. Cease playing tennis and rest the elbow until it is pain free.
2. Get sports massage to relax elbow and forearm.
3. Apply an ice pack to elbow and forearm (15 to 20 minutes ).

You call that an injury?

Often rest, massage and icing done regularly will bring effective relief. If the pain persists, or worsens, it may be an "injury" in the making. This may require medical treatment. Watch for signs of inflammation: redness, puffiness, tightness and more serious signs of pain. In this instance ice and rest will help, but never massage inflamed tissue.

Parting thoughts