Playing sports like racquetball and tennis is a fun way to stay active. However, one common issue players deal with is a painful condition called tennis elbow. To prevent sports injuries like these, Peter A. Matsuura, MD, shares the following guide to tennis elbow.

Your Guide to Tennis Elbow & How to Prevent It

What Is Tennis Elbow?

Tennis elbow, a form of tendinitis, is a painful condition of the arm and elbow. It’s one of the most common sports injuries. If you feel pain and tenderness in the bony area on the outside of your elbow, you might be dealing with tennis elbow. Sometimes you’ll feel a radiating pain in your upper arm as well. 

Why Does It Occur? 

Repetitive movement and overuse of the tendons in the arm are the main causes of tennis elbow. While mostly a result of playing tennis and racquetball, tennis elbow can also result from other activities like typing, painting, woodworking, raking, knitting, and cooking. Repetitive arm motions and gripping puts stress on the tendons and muscles in the forearm, the strain of which eventually leads to microscopic tears in the tissue. 

How Can It Be Prevented? 

Like many sports injuries, tennis elbow can often be prevented. Avoid repetitive arm movements, or take as many breaks as possible to relieve some of the stress on your tendons. Before playing tennis or a similar sport, warm up your arm muscles for a few minutes to relieve tension. If you deal with pain throughout the day at work, take frequent breaks to stretch your arms and move them around. 

Tennis elbow is an unpleasant condition, but the right doctor can help you treat the issue and prevent it from occurring in the future. The office of Peter A. Matsuura, MD, offers comprehensive treatment of a variety of sports injuries to help provide pain relief for patients from all walks of life. Their services include sports medicine, shoulder surgery, hip surgery, knee surgery, tendinitis treatment, and much more. To start your journey toward recovery, visit their website or call (808) 969-3331 today.