Can I get tennis elbow if I do not play tennis?
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Rick Olderman answered:Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis, is an inflammatory issue resulting from poor upper extremity mechanics beginning with the shoulder blade and arm bone and resulting in poor forearm function. Therefore any activity can create this issue, even typing!Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis, is an inflammatory issue resulting from poor upper extremity mechanics beginning with the shoulder blade and arm bone and resulting in poor forearm function. Therefore any activity can create this issue, even... More -
National Academy of Sports Medicine answered:Yes you can develop tennis elbow without ever picking up a racket. Tennis elbow is merely tendonitis of the tendons on the lateral part of the elbow. This is often caused through repetitive movements. Our posture, specifically shoulder alignment can play a key role in keeping our elbows healthy as well. So remember to take a break from typing, video games and yes tennis if you start to develop pain on the top and outside of your elbow. You can follow the traditional protocol of rest, ice, compression and elevation to alleviate the discomfort but contact your physician if discomfort persists. Exercise therapy has shown to be very effective in relieving tennis elbow and preventing an exacerbation of the symptoms. See a physical therapist, athletic trainer or corrective exercise specialist for an individualized program and make sure to take a look at the big picture. Sometimes tight ankles or sore backs can lead to sore elbows. The body is one interconnected piece and we need to keep that in mind.
Yes you can develop tennis elbow without ever picking up a racket. Tennis elbow is merely tendonitis of the tendons on the lateral part of the elbow. This is often caused through repetitive movements. Our posture, specifically shoulder alignment can... More -
Dr. Audrey Chun of The Mount Sinai Medical Center answered:While tennis elbow can result from poor technique when it comes to your backhand, you don't have to actually engage in the sport to suffer from the problem -- it also can be related to general overuse of the muscle and tendons in your elbow while you engage in tasks that involve repetitive motion, like chopping vegetables, ironing clothes or using a computer mouse. It's thought that these motions, however minor, may cause degeneration of the tissues that attach the muscles to the bone of the elbow, causing pain in the bony outer area of the elbow. This means that if you have tennis elbow, holding anything tightly -- whether it's a tennis racquet or not -- will cause discomfort that may spread down as far as your wrist and may be severe enough to disrupt sleep.While tennis elbow can result from poor technique when it comes to your backhand, you don't have to actually engage in the sport to suffer from the problem -- it also can be related to general overuse of the muscle and tendons in your elbow... More -
You can get "tennis elbow" even if you don't play tennis! The "doctor" term for this condition is lateral epicondylitis, and we see it in people who do the same arm movements over and over. As you can imagine, it's pretty common to see painters, plumbers, construction workers, etc., not just tennis players who suffer with this problem.You can get "tennis elbow" even if you don't play tennis! The "doctor" term for this condition is lateral epicondylitis, and we see it in people who do the same arm movements over and over. As you can imagine, it's pretty common to see... More
