Tennis elbow

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Elbow - side view

Superficial anterior muscles

Tennis elbow

Definition:

Tennis elbow is an inflammation, soreness, or pain on the outside (lateral) side of the upper arm near the elbow. There may be a partial tear of the tendon fibers, which connect muscle to bone, at or near their point of origin on the outside of the elbow.

Alternative Names:

Epitrochlear bursitis; Lateral epicondylitis; Epicondylitis - lateral

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

This injury is caused by repetitively twisting the wrist or forearm. The injury is classically associated with tennis playing, hence the name "tennis elbow," but any activity that involves repetitive twisting of the wrist (like using a screwdriver) can lead to lateral epicondylitis.

Review Date: 8/3/2004
Reviewed By: Kevin B. Freedman, M.D., Section of Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation, Loyola University Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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