146 BEAUTY & FRAGRANCES
TENNIS ELBOW -
WHAT IS IT AND HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM INJURY ?
Carlos Cobiella is a Consultant Shoulder & Elbow and Sports Surgeon working at theshoulderpractice . com
Summer is here and many of us will be hitting the courts to play tennis . However , if not done carefully and with technique , tennis elbow can occur , causing misery .
Tennis elbow is a degenerative condition of the tendons that causes pain on the outside of the elbow . It is often caused by repetitive actions and overuse and is age-related . You may notice pain on the outside of the elbow , which may travel down the forearm when lifting or bending your arm or when gripping small objects , such as a pen . Also you may notice the pain when twisting your forearm , such as opening a door handle or opening a jar - and you will also find it hard to fully extend your arm . In worse cases you may notice severe pain , swelling and bruising around the joint and trouble moving your elbow normally , using your arm or turning your arm from palm up to palm down and vice versa .
Tennis elbow can also sometimes occur after banging or knocking your elbow on a hard surface . Once the muscles in your forearm are strained , this results in tiny tears and inflammation developing near that bony lump ( lateral epicondyle ) on the outside of your elbow , and this is the cause of the pain .
Don ’ t be fooled by the name as it is not just a condition that affects those who play tennis . Tennis elbow affects people of all ages , but it is most common between 30-50 . According to the International Tennis Federation ( ITF ) it has been estimated that 50 per cent of all tennis players will suffer from tennis elbow during their careers and players over the age of 35 are particularly at risk . Venus Williams , Bjorn Borg , Andy Murray and Juan Martin del Potro have all suffered with the condition .
Strategies for treating tennis elbow include resting the area , icing the area to control swelling and stretching / exercising the forearm . Acupuncture and physical therapy , can also help reduce symptoms and prevent tennis elbow from recurring . Cortisone injections into the tendon should be avoided . They can make the pain better for some time but also cause damage to the tendon , which in the long term can result in chronic pain . In some cases of acute inflammation they can be used , but this is a decision your specialist will help you make . An alternative is the use of Platelet rich plasma ( PRP ) . Your own platelets , rich in growth factors , are harvested from your blood and then injected locally in and around the affected tendon . PRP has been shown in some studies to relieve pain and speed up the healing and usually takes 30 minutes . Shockwave therapy is another non-invasive treatment , where high-energy shockwaves are passed through the skin to relieve pain and promote movement in the affected area . The evidence to support it is not great but it can help some people . If the symptoms persist despite treatment , surgery may be recommended . The damaged part of the tendon is removed and the remaining tendon repaired .
HERE ARE SOME OTHER TIPS TO HELP PREVENT DAMAGE AND PAIN WHEN PLAYING TENNIS
Keep the arms flexible and strong , and avoid repetitive movements . Try to keep the wrist in a neutral position when taking a tennis shot . Warm up before exercising or using your arms for repetitive movements by stretching . You may also want to use a lightweight tennis racquet , make sure the grip is the right size for you and the
THE ART OF LUXURY Issue 59 2023