Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis)

Your caregiver has diagnosed you with a condition often referred to as “Tennis Elbow.” This results from small tears or soreness (inflammation) at the start (origin) of the extensor muscles of the forearm. Although the condition is often called tennis or golfer’s elbow, it is caused by any repetitive action performed by your elbow.

Home Care Instructions

• If the condition has been short lived, rest may be the only treatment required. Using your opposite hand or arm to perform the task may help. Even changing your grip may help rest the extremity. These may even prevent the condition from recurring
• Longer standing problems, however, will often be relieved faster by:
  • Using anti-inflammatory agents
  • Applying ice packs for 30 minutes at the end of the working day, at bed time, or when activities are finished
  • Your caregiver may also have you wear a splint or sling. This will allow the inflamed tendon to heal

At times, steroid injections aided with a local anesthetic will be required along with splinting for 1 to 2 weeks. Two to three steroid injections will often solve the problem. In some long standing cases, the inflamed tendon does not respond to conservative (non-surgical) therapy. Then surgery may be required to repair it.

Make Sure You

• Understand these instructions
• Will watch your condition
• Will get help right away if you are not doing well or get worse

For more information about tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis), please call (918) 494-AOOK (2665).