Most who suffer from tennis elbow develop it from repetitive stress or motion during work-related tasks or hobbies, or through other sports like golf or baseball, explains New York sports medicine expert Kevin Plancher, who is also the official orthopedic surgeon of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard teams.
While the RICE approachâ€"rest, ice, compression and elevationâ€"effectively treats most patients with the painful condition, recent advances in minimally invasive techniques may offer a long-term solution for those with persistent symptoms.
"For the past several years, arthro-scopic techniques for elbow surgery have been at the forefront of orthopedic surgical research," Dr. Plancher says. "We are now able to surgically repair or release the injured tendons using two portals, three millimeters each, which means a much quicker surgical recovery than would be necessary with an open procedure," he notes. "This is also a longer-term solution to the problem of tennis elbow, and patients are able to regain range of motion and resume normal activitiesâ€"be it work or sportsâ€"more quickly," Dr. Plancher adds.
Tennis elbow, or lateral humeral epicondylitis, is an inflammation of tendons in the outer side of the elbow joint. The attachment, like the Achilles tendon or rotater cuff in the shoulder, is thought to have a poor blood supply and is prone to injury.
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