Tennis Elbow

What is Tennis Elbow?

Tennis elbow, medically known as lateral epicondylitis, is a condition that causes pain and inflammation on the outer side of your elbow. Despite its name, tennis elbow affects far more people than just tennis players - it's one of the most common overuse injuries, particularly affecting those who perform repetitive gripping and wrist extension activities.

The condition involves irritation and degeneration of the tendons that attach your forearm extensor muscles to the bony prominence on the outside of your elbow (lateral epicondyle). This can range from mild tendon irritation to significant tendon breakdown requiring comprehensive rehabilitation.

What Causes Tennis Elbow?

Tennis elbow develops from repetitive stress and overuse of the forearm extensor muscles:

Common activities:

  • Racquet sports, particularly with poor backhand technique

  • Manual labour involving repetitive gripping (painting, carpentry, plumbing)

  • Computer work with poor ergonomics and excessive mouse use

  • Gardening and DIY activities

  • Weight training with poor technique or excessive volume

  • Cooking and food preparation involving repetitive chopping

Contributing factors:

  • Sudden increase in activity intensity or duration

  • Poor technique in sport or work activities

  • Inadequate equipment (racquet grip size, weight, string tension)

  • Muscle imbalances between forearm extensors and flexors

  • Previous elbow injuries

  • Age-related tendon changes (typically 30-50 years)

Risk factors:

  • Occupations involving repetitive hand and wrist movements

  • Sports requiring strong grip strength and wrist extension

  • Poor workstation ergonomics

  • Inadequate rest between activities

  • Weak shoulder and core muscles leading to compensation patterns

What Are the Symptoms?

Tennis elbow typically presents with characteristic pain patterns:

Primary symptoms:

  • Pain and tenderness on the outer side of the elbow

  • Pain that worsens with gripping or wrist extension

  • Stiffness in the elbow, particularly in the morning

  • Weakness in grip strength and wrist movements

Activity-related symptoms:

  • Pain when lifting objects, even light items like a cup of tea

  • Discomfort when shaking hands or turning door handles

  • Pain during tennis backhand or other racquet strokes

  • Difficulty with everyday tasks like opening jars or using tools

Progressive symptoms:

  • Pain radiating down the forearm towards the wrist

  • Burning sensation on the outer elbow

  • Increased pain with resisted wrist extension

  • Persistent aching even at rest in severe cases

Functional limitations:

  • Reduced performance in sport or work activities

  • Difficulty with lifting and carrying tasks

  • Compensatory movement patterns affecting shoulder and wrist

  • Reduced confidence in gripping activities

Struggling with elbow pain? Our specialist team has extensive experience treating overuse injuries in athletes across all sports, from recreational tennis players to professional athletes. We provide comprehensive assessment, targeted treatment programmes, and technique analysis to address the root cause of your symptoms.