Tennis elbow Vs Golfer’s elbow
Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow are overuse injuries that result from repetitive stress on the tendons and muscles around the elbow joint, leading to microtrauma, inflammation, and tissue degeneration. Despite their distinct anatomical locations, both conditions share common risk factors and clinical manifestations, including pain, tenderness, and functional impairment.
Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis, involves inflammation and degeneration of the tendons attached to the lateral epicondyle of the humerus, primarily affecting the extensor muscles of the forearm responsible for wrist extension and radial deviation. In contrast, golfer’s elbow, or medial epicondylitis, affects the tendons attached to the medial epicondyle of the humerus, involving the flexor muscles of the forearm responsible for wrist flexion and ulnar deviation. While both conditions result from repetitive stress, they differ in their biomechanical mechanisms, anatomical involvement, and specific activities that exacerbate symptoms.
Individuals engaged in activities requiring repetitive wrist and forearm movements are at increased risk of developing tennis and golfer’s elbow. Specific demographic groups susceptible to these conditions include:
- Athletes: Tennis players, golfers, baseball players, and other athletes engaging in racquet sports or throwing activities are prone to developing tennis or golfer’s elbow due to the repetitive nature of their sport and high-intensity wrist and forearm movements.
- Manual Laborers: Workers involved in occupations such as construction, plumbing, carpentry, and painting are at risk of developing tennis or golfer’s elbow due to the repetitive use of hand tools and sustained wrist positions.
- Office Workers: Individuals performing repetitive typing, mouse clicking, and other computer-related tasks are susceptible to tennis or golfer’s elbow, as prolonged wrist extension or flexion can exacerbate symptoms.
- Age and Gender: Middle-aged individuals are more commonly affected by tennis and golfer’s elbow, although these conditions can occur in individuals of all ages. Golfer’s elbow tends to be more prevalent in men, while tennis elbow affects both men and women equally.
Manual therapy interventions play a crucial role in the conservative management of tennis and golfer’s elbow, aiming to reduce pain, improve tissue healing, and restore functional mobility. Common manual therapy techniques employed in the treatment of these conditions include:
• Soft Tissue Mobilisation: Manual manipulation of the muscles, tendons, and fascia surrounding the affected elbow aims to reduce adhesions, improve tissue extensibility, and alleviate pain and inflammation.
• Joint Mobilisation: Gentle mobilisation of the elbow joint and adjacent joints, including the wrist and shoulder, can help restore normal joint mechanics, reduce stiffness, and optimise biomechanical function.
• Stretching and Strengthening Exercises: Specific exercises targeting the muscles of the forearm, wrist, and shoulder aim to improve flexibility, strength, and neuromuscular control, thereby reducing strain on the affected tendons and promoting tissue healing.
Listed below are some details of a client dealing with tennis elbow who is seeking treatment here at HBM, which may also serve as a case study:
Age: 35+
Gender: M
Symptoms: pain in R elbow from tennis 3x/week
Medical history: MRI showing disc herniation in C6-7
Lifestyle: Plays tennis 3x/week 2 hrs each for the past 2 years. Doesn’t stretch much and isn’t very flexible.
The client has received fortnightly treatments here at HBM over 8 months to manage his symptoms, and even after the first treatment has had great improvement in mobility and pain. Educating him on the importance of compliance to treatment due to his active schedule has made a big difference on his quality of life, and after educating him on the possible cause (after numerous questioning and orthopaedic testing) and with some take home exercises and stretches, he’s been able to get back to his daily activities with much improvements on symptoms.
If you or someone you know are dealing with tennis or golfer’s elbow, musculoskeletal pain, or even myofascial trigger points, book in an appointment to see us now for an initial consultation so we can assess your condition and come up with an appropriate and tailored treatment plan to manage your pain.
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