You Don't Need to Be an Athlete to Have This Problem!

Although 'Tennis Elbow' takes its name from the sport of tennis, we spoke with specialists from the Orthopedics and Traumatology Department of Hisar Hospital Intercontinental about 'Tennis Elbow,' a condition known to affect people who repeat rhythmic movements…

Known in medicine as Lateral Epicondylitis and commonly called tennis elbow, this orthopedic condition is caused by micro-tears forming on the outer side of the elbow, the upper attachment point of the muscles that enable wrist and finger movements, the specialists said. ‘The area where the micro-tears form is where the muscle group that allows us to open our fingers and lift our wrist attaches to the outer bone. The muscles themselves have a very good blood supply, but the attachment points and the connective structures that extend from the muscles, called tendons, do not have a very good blood supply. Because they are poorly vascularized, the healing process is slow or poor when they are damaged. The reason it is called tennis elbow is that we most often see it in tennis players who hit the backhand incorrectly. The backhand is normally a movement that should be performed with the shoulder; if a person uses only the elbow and forearm, micro-tears can form there because the muscle structure is overloaded. The body tries to heal it, but it cannot. In terms of terminology, Lateral Epicondylitis seems like an inflammatory response; although it is treated with painkillers, it is actually not an inflammatory response. It is a healing problem. The degree and stage of the condition vary from person to person; patients most often consult a physician because they cannot lift things, cannot turn a screwdriver, cannot wash dishes, cannot clean windows, and say they cannot even perform simple movements. This pain, caused by the forearm extensors that control the wrist and fingers being used in repetitive movements, should be evaluated by a physician at the very first moment it is felt. In such a case, the first treatment is rest. However, if you continue to use your arm despite the pain, or if you take painkillers or cover up the pain, the problem does not go away. Because painkillers are not curative; they only mask the symptoms. In this way, damage continues in that tissue and the pain intensity gradually increases. Pain starts even with the smallest movement, such as holding a pen, not just when lifting or cleaning something. Along with rest, the movement of the muscle group running from the elbow to the fingers and wrist is restricted with bands placed on the elbow, where the epicondylitis is. The muscle group on the upper part of the band, close to the elbow, does not work or works less. If the pain does not go away despite this application, a cortisone injection is administered. When the patient no longer feels pain, they start using the wrist again and continue their daily life. The effect of cortisone varies from person to person depending on the level of trauma. It may last only a few days, or it may continue for several years. One of the methods used in treatment is PRP, in which the healing factors are technologically separated from the patient's own blood and then injected directly into the damaged tissue. When PRP is not sufficient, surgical methods are used. The problem area is removed and the muscle tissue is attached directly to the bone. The likelihood of recurrence depends entirely on the patient's activity. Therefore, to avoid having the tennis elbow problem, rhythmic and regular movements should be performed by spreading the effort across the whole arm rather than just the elbow. The chance of experiencing the problem again increases when you load only your elbow instead of your entire arm,’ the specialist stated.