Sports Medicine Oregon

Tennis Elbow Treatment in Portland, OR

Tennis elbow is a painful overwork injury often associated with sports, such as tennis and baseball.

While often associated with athletic activities, this condition is also common in other professions, such as plumbing and painting. Constant stress on the elbow joint will often cause inflammation and may progress to tearing of the tendons. Age can also increase a patient's risk of developing tennis elbow, as patients between the ages of 30 and 50 are more likely to develop this condition.

Upon injury, patients will often experience pain or a burning sensation radiating from the elbow down the forearm. Injury will often result in weakness in the arm and hand, making tasks such as shaking hands or holding a cup, difficult. Tennis elbow can occur in either arm, but is more common in the less dominant arm.

Anatomy of the Elbow

The elbow is a hinge joint (a joint that only moves in one direction) formed by the upper arm bone (humerus) and the two bones that compose the forearm (radius and ulna). Ligaments, muscles, and tendons surround the joint and connect the bones together, and help to provide stability to the joint structure during movement. The muscles in the forearm that connect to the elbow extend down to the wrist and fingers. Damage to the tendons or muscles in the elbow can cause pain and weakness in the wrist and fingers, in addition to the elbow area.

Tennis Elbow Treatment Options

Tennis elbow symptoms will typically increase gradually over time and can often be managed with a combination of at home treatments, such as:

Rest
Application of ice
Pain relievers

In the event that pain symptoms do not subside, the assistance of an orthopeadic surgeon is often very beneficial.

The Sports Medicine Oregon team uses several different tests, including x-rays, MRIs, and electromyography, to diagnose the severity of tendon and muscle damage. In addition, the surgeon will typically test the range of motion and amount of resistance that can be placed on the elbow.

The inclusion of additional conservative treatments for a 6-to-12 month period is typically recommended before pursuing surgical alternatives. Additional conservative treatments often recommended include:

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines
Physical therapy
Steroid injections
Bracing

For patients who do not see results using conservative treatments, surgery may be the best option to relieve pain symptoms and return arm strength. During the procedure, the orthopaedic surgeon will use arthroscopic techniques to remove the damaged or inflamed tendons, and reattach the remaining healthy muscle to the bone.

Post-Surgery Recovery and Rehabilitation

Post-surgery, patients will be required to wear a splint for approximately one week, in order to ensure that the muscles heal properly. After one-to-two weeks, patients will begin a specific exercise routine designed to gradually stretch the muscles and restore the joint's previous range of motion. To prevent additional muscle tearing, patients should wait approximately two months before beginning any strength-building exercises. The majority of patients are able to return to the athletic activities at their previous intensity level 4-to-6 months after surgery.

Learn more about recovering from arthroscopic surgery »