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CONTACT US FOR A FREE FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS!
For a limited-time only, we are offering a FREE functional analysis
at both our locations.
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Beverly Hills
9301 Wilshire Boulevard
Beverly Hills, California 90210
West Hills
7301 Medical Center Drive
West Hills, California 91307
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INSURANCE & WORKERS' COMPENSATION
ACCEPTED!
We accept most types of insurance
providers and specialize in the treatment of workers'
compensation injuries to the hand and upper extremity. |
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Tennis Elbow
Causes of Tennis Elbow
Common Symptoms
Non-Surgical & Surgical Treatments
Recovery Process
Tennis elbow is the common name for lateral epicondylitis. Tendons
attach muscles to bone. Tennis elbow is a condition that affects tendons
that work with bone on the outside of the elbow and with a muscle
that works the wrist. The tendon's attachment loses its grip on the
muscle when the condition is present, and grows weaker where it anchors
on the bone, which leads to greater stress over the entire region.
When the muscle and tendon is used, pain is experienced. Although
tennis is traditionally associated with the condition, it can show
up after any number of activities, all of which are not athletic.
Practically everyone is susceptible, regardless of age or gender,
but it is most common in adults between thirty and fifty years of
age.
| Causes of Tennis Elbow |
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Trauma is a common cause for tennis elbow, and many cases result from
a blow that makes the tendon swell and deteriorate. The tendon is
also vulnerable to many extreme actions, forces, or activities, any
one of which can injure it.
Tennis elbow can also be caused by overuse. The tendon associated
with the condition can be strained through any activity that stresses
its attachments. For example, activities involving gripping (e.g.,
grasping a tennis racket) and repetitive motion (e.g., weaving, painting,
auto repair) can also create stress.
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| Common Symptoms |
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The most common symptom, and the one that most often leads to medical
treatment, is pain on the outside of the elbow. Not only is the area
tender if touched, but any activity that puts stress on the tendon,
any gripping or lifting, is painful. The pain that shows up usually
runs down from the elbow to the hand, and presents itself when the
elbow is moved.
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| Non-Surgical & Surgical Treatments |
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Treatment by your hand surgeon is broken down into two broad categories.
The first of category doesn't involve surgery, which is usually an
option when the more conservative approaches do not help.
Conservative approaches include:
Modifying Activity - If an activity causes pain, the best advice
is simply not to engage in it. This, however, is not always an option,
but attempts can be made to limit actions that aggravate the condition
and this is typically more effective extended bed rest. If work or
other activities can't be avoided, simply modifying your grip can
relieve the problem. For example, when treating pain that is associated
with a particular activity (e.g., tennis), using a different size
racket or a two-hand backhand may be very helpful.
Medication - The use of anti-inflammatory medications can lessen
or eliminate the pain.
Use of a Brace - A special band worn on the forearm, just underneath
the elbow, can lessen tension on the tendon and help it heal.
Physical Therapy - In addition to using treatments that involve
heat, physical therapy aimed at stretching and strengthening the muscles
can help.
Injections of Steroids - Steroids, which are strong anti-inflammatory
medications, can be injected directly into the elbow. Injections,
however, should not be incurred too many times.
Shockwave Treatment - This treatment, which can be conducted
in your hand surgeon's office, is fairly new but is successful approximately
50% - 60% of the time. The treatment, itself, involves delivering
a shock wave around the part of the elbow where the pain is greatest.
Surgery is never a first choice when treating tennis elbow. When the
more conservative treatments have failed to help relieve the symptoms
for over six months, or if the pain has become incapacitating, surgery
may be the best choice. Your hand surgeon will remove the part of
the tendon that has become diseased or degenerated, either through
a traditional incision or through arthroscopic surgery (i.e., a procedure
that makes use of smaller cuts into which instruments can be inserted
into the elbow). Surgical treatment of tennis elbow is often conducted
in an outpatient setting.
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| Recovery Process |
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To help the tendon heal, the recovery process will include physical
therapy directed toward restoring arm movement. In order to resume
activities that patients engaged in prior to the surgical procedure,
part of the therapy will include a muscle-strengthening program. A
full recovery may take between four and six months.
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