Tennis elbow

Question 1

What is tennis elbow

Answer 1

Lateral epicondilitis - chronic degeneration of the tendon due to repetitive injury (wrist exteension, forceful movement)
dominant arm in 75% of people

Question 2

Sx and signs of tennis elbow

Answer 2

Sx—insidious onset
pain in the lateral elbow, pain with wrist extension, and reduced grip strength.
exacerbated by activities– repetitive use of the extensor muscles of the forearm, for example strong gripping and repetitive wrist movements (tennis, piano, kayak, plumbing etc)

exam- point tenderness on lateral epicondyle
resisten middle finger exteension can be painful (maudsleys test)
reduced grip strength
normal ROM, normal sensation

tinnels -to rule out carpal tunnel

Question 3

mx of tennis elbow

Answer 3

reasure + RICE (6W)
Consider orthosis
NSAIDS gel first line

no improve after 6w- steroid injections and physio
after 6-12m- ortho srugeon–ortho- can open debride and reattache

Question 4

What is golfers elbow

Answer 4

medial epicondylitis- overuse of flexor/pronator muscles of arm

less common than golfers/lateral
usually from repetitive wrist Flexion (golf, baseball, javelin)

Question 5

Sx and signs of golfers elbow

Answer 5

insidious onset of pain at medial epicodyle–worst with wrist flexion and pronation of the hand
worse during gripping

exam -
tenderness of medial epicondyle
swelling/warmth can be
pain on resisted wrist flex, forarm pronate
can examine valgus instability with valgus stress test

Question 6

Mx of golfers elbow

Answer 6

RICE 6w,
NSAIDS (gel)
consider orthotics

inject after 6w, + physio
after 6m -ortho- can open debride and reattache