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| WHAT IS LATERAL EPICONDYLITIS (Tennis Elbow)? |
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| Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) is the name for a condition in which the bony bump at the outer side of the elbow is painful and tender. The elbow joint in made up of the bone in the upper arm (humerus) and one of the bones in the lower arm (ulna). The bony bumps at the bottom of the humerus are called epicondyles. The bump on the outer side of the elbow, to which certain forearm muscles are attached by tendons, is called the lateral epicondyle. Lateral epicondylitis is also referred to as wrist extensor tendonitis. |
| HOW DOES IT OCCUR? |
| Tennis elbow results from overusing the muscles in your forearm that straighten and raise your hand and wrist. When these muscles are overused, the tendons are repeatedly tugged at the point of attachment (the lateral epicondyle). As a result, the tendons become inflamed. Repeated, tiny tears in the tendon tissue cause pain. Among the activities that can cause tennis elbow are tennis, other racquet sports, carpentry, machine work, typing, and knitting. |
| WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS? |
| The symptoms of tennis elbow are: |
| - pain or tenderness on the outer side of the elbow |
| - pain when you straighten or raise your wrist or hand |
| - pain made worse by lifting a heavy object |
| - pain when you make a fist, grip an object, shake hands, or turn door handles |
| - pain that shoots from the elbow down into the forearm, or up into the upper arm |
| HOW IS IT DIAGNOSED? |
| your doctor will ask you about your daily and recreational activities. He or she will examine your elbow and arm, and will have you do movements that may cause pain in the outer part of your elbow. Your doctor may order x-rays of your elbow. |
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