The King of Cracks Reveals the Real Cause of Tennis Elbow: Tips for Prevention

As a chiropractor and tennis enthusiast, I've seen my fair share of tennis elbow cases. It's a painful and frustrating injury that can impact anyone who participates in activities that require repetitive arm movements. That's why I'm here to share with you the real cause of tennis elbow and provide you with practical tips to prevent it.

Firstly, let's define what tennis elbow is. Also known as lateral epicondylitis, tennis elbow is a painful condition that affects the outer part of the elbow. It's caused by repetitive stress on the tendons that attach to the lateral epicondyle, which is the bony bump on the outer part of the elbow. While it's often associated with tennis players, it can also affect people who engage in other activities that involve repetitive arm movements, such as painting, typing, and playing certain musical instruments.

Now, let's discuss the real cause of tennis elbow. Contrary to popular belief, it's not solely caused by the sport of tennis itself. Rather, it's caused by repetitive microtrauma to the tendons in the forearm that attach to the lateral epicondyle. This microtrauma can be caused by any activity that involves repetitive wrist and arm movements, such as hitting a backhand in tennis or typing on a keyboard for long periods of time.

So, how can you prevent tennis elbow? Here are some tips that I recommend:

1. Warm up before engaging in any activity that involves repetitive arm movements. This can include simple stretches and exercises to increase blood flow and loosen up the muscles and tendons in the forearm.
2. Use proper technique and form when engaging in any activity that involves repetitive arm movements. For example, when playing tennis, make sure to use proper grip technique and follow through with your strokes.
3. Strengthen the muscles in your forearm through specific exercises, such as wrist curls and reverse wrist curls. This can help to improve the stability of the tendons in the forearm and reduce the risk of injury.
4. Consider physical therapy or chiropractic care. These treatments can help to improve range of motion, reduce pain, and prevent further injury. Physical therapy may involve exercises to strengthen and stretch the affected muscles, while chiropractic care can help to realign the joints and relieve tension in the muscles.
5. Take breaks and rest when necessary. If you engage in activities that involve repetitive arm movements, it's important to take breaks and rest periodically to avoid overuse of the tendons in your forearm.
6. Invest in proper equipment. For example, if you're a tennis player, make sure to use a racket with the correct grip size and string tension. This can help to reduce the strain on your forearm muscles and tendons.

In conclusion, tennis elbow is a common injury that can affect anyone who engages in activities that involve repetitive arm movements. While it's often associated with tennis, it can also be caused by other activities such as painting and typing. The real cause of tennis elbow is repetitive microtrauma to the tendons in the forearm that attach to the lateral epicondyle. To prevent this injury, it's important to warm up properly, use proper technique and form, strengthen your forearm muscles, consider physical therapy or chiropractic care, take breaks and rest when necessary, and invest in proper equipment. By following these tips, you can reduce your risk of developing tennis elbow and continue to participate in the activities you love.

​Keywords: tennis elbow, injury, prevention, cause, physical therapy, chiropractic care, exercise, sports

References:

• "Tennis elbow." Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 19 Jan. 2022, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tennis-elbow/symptoms-causes/syc-20351987.
• Bisset, L., et al. "Mobilisation with movement and exercise, corticosteroid injection, or wait and see for tennis elbow: randomised trial." BMJ, vol. 333, no. 7575, 2006, pp. 939–942, doi:10.1136/bmj.38961.584653.AE.
• "Preventing Tennis Elbow." American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 2019, orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/tennis-elbow-lateral-epicondylitis/preventing-tennis-elbow/.
• "Tennis Elbow." American Society for Surgery of the Hand, 2021, www.assh.org/handcare/hand-arm-conditions/tennis-elbow.
• Pienimaki, T., et al. "Prevention of occupational overuse injuries by physical conditioning: a systematic review." Occupational Medicine, vol. 61, no. 7, 2011, pp. 455–462, doi:10.1093/occmed/kqr072.

This blog post was written with the help of google search, research articles and the use of AI. For informational purposes only. ​