How Doctors Treat Tennis Elbow
The 2024 Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) school tennis season began with practices this month, and the first matches are already underway. This year the MHSAA regionals are scheduled for October 9–12, and the finals are October 17–19, with division competition on October 21–22.
One of the more common sports injuries that hand doctors see is “tennis elbow”. Doctor Rehman is specially trained to diagnose and treat sports injuries of the hand, arm, elbow & wrist. She has helped hundreds of patients get relief from tennis elbow and get back to the sport that they love as quickly as possible.
In this article, Bloomfield Hills hand and elbow specialists Doctor Rehman explains how to know if you have tennis elbow, and what you can do to recover quickly.
Bloomfield Hills Tennis
Tennis is an extremely popular sport in Bloomfield Hills – from recreational play to competitive high school athletics. There are more than 300 tennis courts in Bloomfield hills, including those at Bloomfield Open Hunt Club, Bloomfield Tennis and Fitness, Forest Lake, the Heathers, Cranbrook and many, many more.
In 2023, the Bloomfield Hills Black Hawks won back-to-back MHSAA Division 1 boys tennis championships, placing competitors in the finals of six of the eight flights and winning all six. This was the program’s third championship in six years and fourth in eight seasons, and their first since 2018. In 2022, the Black Hawks also hosted the MHSAA LP Boys Tennis Regional at Cranbrook Tennis Courts in Bloomfield Hills.
In 2021, Bloomfield Hills’ Natalie Petrucci and Nisha Singhi won the No. 3 doubles championship at the MHSAA Division 3 girls semifinal. In 2024, Detroit Country Day won the Lower Peninsula Division 3 girls tennis championship, unseating two-time reigning champion Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood.
What is Tennis Elbow?
But while tennis is an excellent and generally safe sport for adults and youth, it is not without injury. The most common sports injury experienced by both amateur, student, and professional tennis players is tennis elbow.
The elbow joint is comprised of the bone in the upper arm (the humerus) and one of the bones in the lower arm (the ulna), joined together by forearm muscles and tendons. The bony bumps at the bottom of the humerus are called epicondyles. And the bump on the outer side of the elbow is called the lateral epicondyle.
Tennis elbow is caused when tugging and overuse causes the tendons to become inflamed. Tiny tears occur in the tissue, resulting in pain and tenderness of the elbow.
Some studies indicate that up to 50 % of tennis players may suffer from this problem at some point in their career. Men and women tend to be affected equally by this condition, often between the ages of 35 and 65.
What are the Symptoms of Tennis Elbow?
When the bony bump on the outer side of the elbow is painful and tender, this typically indicates the condition of Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis).
Symptoms of Tennis Elbow include:
- Pain or tenderness slowly increasing on the outer side of the elbow
- Pain when straightening or raising your wrist and hand
- Pain when lifting a heavy object
- Pain when you make a fist, shake hands or squeeze an object
- Pain may radiate from the elbow down into the forearm or up into the upper arm
A board certified doctor who specializes in the hands, wrists, arms, elbows and shoulders is the best person to diagnose this condition. A physical exam will be conducted to determine where the pain is originating, and X-rays of the elbow will often also be ordered to definitively diagnose the condition.
How Doctors Treat Tennis Elbow
Most tendon injuries such as this respond well and heal fully, if treatment is started early, before extensive damage is done.
Doctors’ treatments for tennis elbow may include:
- Ice may be applied to the elbow for 20 to 30 minutes every 3 or 4 hours
- Oral anti-inflammatory medication may also be prescribed for up to 4 to 6 weeks
- Corticosteroid injections may be prescribed, to further reduce the inflammation
- Use of a “tennis elbow strap” around the forearm below the elbow
- Physical therapy range of motion and strengthening exercises
- Avoiding the repetitive movements that caused the damage
- In extreme cases surgery can sometimes be required
Top Bloomfield Hills Tennis Elbow Doctor
If you or someone you love is experiencing elbow pain, stiffness or tenderness contact Doctor Rehman for a thorough evaluation and comprehensive treatment plan. Early intervention is the key with tennis elbow, in order to avoid surgery and get you back on the court as quickly as possible.
Board certified hand surgeon Doctor Rehman and her team of specially-trained therapists will accurately diagnose your condition, and put together the best treatment plan to help you attain a full recovery.
As with most medical conditions, early detection, awareness, and a prevention or treatment plan is the most effective way to combat the effects of conditions like tennis elbow.
Doctor Rehman will assess your individual situation at her Bloomfield Hills or Macomb County office, and prescribe the treatments that are best for your condition.
