Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) is one of the most common reasons for elbow pain, affecting the tendons on the outside of the elbow. It is typically triggered by repetitive motions that involve extending the wrist, such as using a screwdriver, typing, or hitting a backhand in tennis. This leads to small tears in the tendon, resulting in a burning sensation or sharp pain when lifting objects or opening a door.
The primary goal of treatment is to reduce the load on the lateral epicondyle. This is achieved through activity modification and the use of specialized forearm straps that “offload” the tendon. Eccentric exercises, where the muscle is lengthened under tension, are considered the gold standard in physical therapy for tennis elbow, as they stimulate the tendon to remodel and grow stronger.
