Tennis Elbow - What is it?:

If you are developing soreness or tenderness around your elbow while playing tennis or other sports, you may have something called "tennis elbow". Although it got it's name from being associated with tennis players, I have seen those that play golf or even ultimate frisbee develop this condition. Much like carpal tunnel, tennis elbow can bother you even when you are not playing tennis. It sticks with you and is hard to heal. I first noticed my tennis elbow problem when I was in my 20's. At first I thought it was just a sore arm from serving the tennis ball. That could definitely have played a part in it, but many people diagnosed with tennis elbow aren't developing tennis elbow just by serving a tennis ball. My arm would be sore for days and often ache. I would often feel a throbbing sensation just on the outside of my elbow joint and I couldn't get it to go away. What are the symptoms of tennis elbow? How do you treat it? Does it require surgery?

Tennis Elbow Symptoms/Treatment/Exercises - Technically, tennis elbow, is when the tendons and muscles on the outside of the elbow area become inflamed or even torn. Symptoms are soreness or pain, made worse when trying to squeeze things with your hand. You will often feel a lack of strength in your hand when lifting things that normally wouldn't effect you at all. I knew something was wrong with my elbow when I could barely lift a half gallon of milk from my refrigerator to the countertop. I would try icing and then using heat on the sore area, but I could not get it to go away completely. When I finally decided to see a doctor, he confirmed my symptoms and told me to rest the elbow and stop playing tennis for a while. He also got me to do some basic rehab exercises to try and strengthen the muscles around the elbow joint. There are elbow braces that you can buy and wear to alleviate the pain, but ultimately it's best to stop the activity that was causing the pain and discomfort to begin with. I did wear a brace (right below my elbow), but I also stopped the tennis serving for about 4 weeks and the problem went away. About 5 years later it came back - going out to be a weekend warrior and try playing tennis like you are 18 is not a good idea - especially if you don't stretch first. I learned my lesson that time and now when I play tennis I am always stretching out before hitting a single ball. I also do simple weight lifting exercises 3 days a week to keep my arm and shoulder muscles in shape. I have not had a recurrence of the tennis elbow in about 5 years and hopefully being proactive has made all the difference. I do know that tennis elbow affects men more than women and that roughly 5% with this condition end up having surgery to repair the damage.

Best Tennis Elbow Brace:
If you have pain associated with tennis elbow (tendonitis), then looking into a tennis elbow brace is a good idea. The brace fits right below your elbow and has an elastic strap that allows you to tighten or loosen as needed. You can find them at your local sporting good store or online at websites like Amazon.com. Amazon carries many of the leading brands and the Band It from Gamma is probably the most popular and top rated elbow brace of all. There are similar products offered by Donjoy and Pro Band which are cost roughly $15 to $25. It's the same concept, wrap it around your upper forearm and wear it during sports activities and even when not playing if it feels better. If the pain or tenderness doesn't go away on it's own, then visit a doctor and get their opinion on treatment. 95% of all tennis elbow cases are curable with basic rehab and simple treatments. The only problem I have with my elbow brace is that it can get sweaty while playing sports and it's not the easiest thing to clean. I have put it in the wash a few times, but not sure that is the best for it.

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