Lateral epicondylitis is pain at the elbow. The pain occurs over the bone on the outside of the elbow. There are several muscles and tendons that attach on this area of the bone.

This condition is often called tennis elbow, but it is not restricted to people who play tennis. It can also occur in people with jobs that require repetitive motions such as roofers and carpenters.

• Improper technique for hitting a tennis ball
• Improper size of tennis racquet or tension of racquet strings
• Improper golf swing technique or grip of golf clubs
• Doing certain arm motions too much, such as:
  • Tennis strokes
  • Golf swings
  • Painting
  • Raking
  • Pitching
  • Rowing
  • Using a hammer or screwdriver

• Playing tennis or golf
• Work that requires repetitive wrist extension and gripping with a closed fist
• Muscle imbalance
• Decreased flexibility
• Advancing age

• Pain and tenderness on the outside of the elbow
• Possibly pain extending down the forearm
• Tightness of forearm muscles
• Stiffness or trouble moving the elbow or wrist
• Lack of full elbow extension

• Shaking hands
• Turning doorknobs
• Picking up objects with your palm down
• Hitting a backhand in tennis
• Swinging a golf club
• Pressing on the outside of the elbow

• Pain on the outside of the elbow when:
  • Doing certain arm motions
  • Pressure is applied on the outside of the elbow
• Stiffness of elbow and wrist movement

• Keep your arm muscles strong. This will decrease the stress on the tendons.
• After a short warm-up period, stretch out your arm muscles.
• Learn the proper technique for activities that require forearm motion.
• If you play tennis, ask a tennis specialist to check your:
  • Technique for hitting the ball, especially your backhand
  • Racket size, tension of racket strings, and composition of the racquet frame

• American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

http://www.aaos.org

• American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine

http://www.aossm.org

• Health Canada

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/index_e.html/

• Healthy U

http://www.healthyalberta.com/

• American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons website. Available at: http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00068 . Updated September 2009. Accessed November 7, 2012.
• Józsa LG, Kannus P. Human Tendons. Human Kinetics; 1997.
• Lateral Epicondylitis. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed/what.php . Updated March 4, 2013. Accessed March 6, 2013.
• Nirschl RP, Kraushaar BS. Keeping tennis elbow at arm's length. Phys Sportsmed. 1996.
• Nicholas Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma website. Available at: http://www.nismat.org/ . Accessed November 7, 2012.
• Nirschl RP, Kraushaur BS. Assessment and treatment guidelines for elbow injuries. Phys Sportsmed. 1996;24.
• 11/8/2006 DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance http://www.dynamicmedical.com/what.php : Bisset L, Beller E, Jull G, Brooks P, Darnell R, Vicenzino B. Mobilisation with movement and exercise, corticosteroid injection, or wait and see for tennis elbow: randomised trial. BMJ.2006;333:939.
• 10/26/2010 DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed/what.php : Massey T, Derry S, Moore R, McQuay H. Topical NSAIDs for acute pain in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2010;(6):CD007402.