Sports injuries are quite common, even expected. Tennis elbow is a type of injury that is often caused by tennis and other reasons too.
Tennis elbows can be extremely painful and will severely restrict your arm movement. It needs to be treated as soon as possible which often requires the use of tennis elbow braces.
So, how do tennis elbow braces work? They actually work by the steady application of pressure on the affected areas, which restricts your arm movement and speeds up the healing process. The use of tennis elbow braces is quite common in tennis matches.
Although tennis elbows are painful, they are comparatively mild. We will look at the different causes and symptoms of tennis elbows and the different treatment methods used for them.
For someone who has spent a fair share of time playing tennis, I have had repeated incidents of suffering from tennis elbows. In all those cases, the tennis elbow braces were excellent for my arm while I was recovering. Tennis elbows are a common injury among tennis players. Together with my fellow tennis players, we have done a lot of research on tennis elbows and other sports injuries.
What Is Tennis Elbow?
Tennis elbow is a form of tendonitis – inflammation of tendons – that causes pain in the elbow and arm. It’s a common injury among tennis players, hence the name, but it can also be caused by other activities that put a strain on the elbow, such as painting or carpentry. Tennis elbow typically affects adults between the ages of 40 and 60.
What Are the Symptoms of Tennis Elbow?
The most common symptom of the tennis elbow is pain on the outer side of the elbow. This pain can range from mild to severe, and it may come and go or be constant. Other symptoms include weakness in the forearm and a loss of grip strength.
How Is Tennis Elbow Diagnosed?
Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and activities and examine your elbow for tenderness. You may also have an X-ray or MRI to rule out other conditions, such as arthritis, that could be causing your pain.
Causes of Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow is caused by overuse of the muscles and tendons in your forearm. This can be from playing tennis or other racquet sports. However, tennis elbow may be caused by activities where you have to do repetitive motions of the arm and wrist, such as painting or using a screwdriver.
Risk Factors for Tennis Elbow
There are several factors that can increase your risk of suffering from tennis elbow, including:
- Playing tennis or another racquet sport.
- Being 40 or older.
- Having a job that requires repetitive motions of the arm and wrist, such as carpentry or painting.
- Having had a previous injury to the elbow or arm.
How Is Tennis Elbow Treated?
Most cases of tennis elbow can be treated with a combination of rest, ice, and over-the-counter pain relievers. More severe cases may require physical therapy or steroid injections. In rare cases, surgery may be necessary to remove damaged tissue or repair torn tendons.
What Are Tennis Elbow Braces?
Tennis elbow braces are devices worn around the forearm to help stabilize the muscles and tendons and relieve pain. They come in a variety of sizes and styles and can be made of materials such as neoprene, nylon, or polyester.
Some have Velcro straps that allow you to adjust the level of compression, while others have built-in pads or gel inserts for additional support.
How Do Tennis Elbow Braces Work?
Tennis elbow braces work by applying pressure to the muscles and tendons in your forearm to help reduce inflammation and pain. They also help to limit the range of motion of the arm and prevent further injury. Wearing a tennis elbow brace can also help you avoid activities that may
How Can Tennis Elbow Be Prevented?
You can help prevent tennis elbow by using proper technique when playing racquet sports and by using good form when performing activities that require repetitive arm motions. Wearing an elbow brace can also help support the joint and reduce stress on the tendons.
If you already have a tennis elbow, it’s important to rest the joint and avoid any activities that make your symptoms worse. Applying ice to the area can also help reduce pain and inflammation. Physical therapy and exercises that stretch and strengthen the forearm muscles may also be recommended.
Surgery is rarely needed and is usually only considered if other treatments have failed to relieve symptoms.
It’s important to see your doctor the moment you think you are suffering from this injury so they can properly diagnose and treat your condition. Wearing a tennis elbow brace can help relieve symptoms and prevent further injury.
Other Similar Injuries
Other similar injuries include the golfer’s elbow, which is a condition that causes pain on the inner side of the elbow, and carpal tunnel syndrome, which is a condition that affects the wrist and hand. Both of these conditions are caused by overuse and repetitive motions.
Treatment typically involves rest, ice, and over-the-counter pain relievers.
About THE AUTHOR
Michael Stevens
Since initially playing at the collegiate level, I have amassed several decades of experience playing racquetball, tennis, and pickleball. I have played thousands of matches and games, and won medals and awards in multiple tourantments. I am constantly improving my game and enjoy mentoring and coaching other players in strategy and technique. I have authored dozens of articles on the sport.
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