Tennis Elbow

What is tennis elbow?

Tennis elbow, also called lateral epicondylitis in everyday language, is a painful condition involving the tendons on the outer side of the elbow. It is commonly related to repeated gripping, lifting, twisting, or wrist extension movements rather than to tennis alone. ^[1][2][3]

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms usually include pain on the outer elbow, tenderness, discomfort when gripping or lifting, and reduced strength in the forearm or hand. Activities such as turning a doorknob, holding a pan, shaking hands, or lifting objects may aggravate the pain. ^[1][2]

What causes it and who commonly gets it?

Tennis elbow is often associated with repetitive use, sports, manual work, home repair tasks, and occupations involving repeated forearm loading. It can affect people who never play tennis. ^[1][2][3]

Diagnosis and evaluation

Diagnosis is usually clinical. The doctor or therapist assesses the pain location, tendon tenderness, grip-related symptoms, and whether other causes of elbow pain should be considered. Imaging is not necessary in every case. ^[1][2]

How is it treated?

Treatment may include activity modification, progressive exercise, pain control, temporary bracing in selected cases, and ergonomics. Recovery often takes time, especially if the tendon continues to be overloaded. Surgery is considered only in a minority of persistent cases. ^[1][2][3]

Recovery and when to seek medical care

Medical review is important if pain is severe, persists for a long time, causes weakness, or interferes significantly with work or daily life. A sudden injury with marked weakness may suggest a different problem and needs assessment. ^[1][2]