Tennis Elbow is a medical condition that is used to define elbow pain caused by overuse of forearms, arms and hand muscles. Many times it happens that people misunderstand the term and have a notion that the pain is caused by playing tennis. The truth is it can be caused by doing any activities that requires you to use your hand muscles a lot. However, it is quite prominent among the tennis players as they rely heavily on their arms and forearms to hit the ball hard and score points over the opponents.
The condition can be caused either due to an injury caused by falling over the elbow or sudden movement of the tendons and muscles around the elbow area. The condition occurs in the arms that you dominantly use. For instance, if you are a right hander, you may experience pain in your right elbow and arm. However, this is not a thumb rule, the condition can also occur even in the “non dominant” arm.
Research suggests that nearly 1% to 3% of the population gets affected from this condition and about 50% of the tennis players suffer from it at some point of time in their career. Studies also indicate that of all the tennis elbow diagnoses, only 5% of the cases are actually related to playing tennis.
Symptoms of Tennis Elbow
- You experience excruciating pain when you shake hands or squeeze any object
- You experience mild pan around the elbow area that slowly aggravates
Treatment for Tennis Elbow
With the rapid strides in medical science, new treatments have been developed for treating tennis elbow. One of the most popular treatments that is used by doctors around the world is Laser Pain Therapy or LLLT (low level laser therapy). This treatment involves use of a laser beam of light that is directly pointed at the affected area. Several studies conducted to test efficiency of laser therapy to treat tennis elbow have proved that using different strengths of laser lights can treat the condition permanently. One of the best things about the Laser treatment for tennis elbow is that it doesn’t cause any side effect. Not to mention, the treatment is quick and the session lasts for about 10-15 minutes.
There are several self-help methods that help you to get rid of the tennis elbow pain. One of the best ways to deal with the problem is to give your arms and elbows ample rest by stop doing the activity that caused the problem in the first place. When you rest your elbow and arms, you can be sure that the problem heals as well as it would prevent the condition from deteriorating further.
Several doctors recommend the use of hot and cold packs alternatively to help relieve the strain in the arm muscles. Quick sessions of hot and cold pack for about 10-12 minutes twice a day can provide instant relief from intense pain. It is advisable that you don’t apply the packs directly on the skin as it may damage your skin. If you have sensitive skin, you may also feel a burning sensation.
Another effective way to deal with the tennis elbow pain is to wear a strap or brace around the affected area. It can help in alleviating the pain in the tendons. It is best advised not to wear the braces or straps all through the day; wear it for a few hours and then remove it for few hours before putting it on again.
Gentle exercises like moving your arms and elbows can greatly help in easing the stiffness and pain in the affected elbow. If you are suffering from tennis elbow and are looking for information about the condition and understand about cold laser therapy in Melbourne you can visit http://www.laserpaintherapy.com.au/ to get information about the symptoms, cause and treatment.