Epicondylitis or tennis elbow: how to treat it?

By Cristiano Antonino On Jan 12, 2023

Epicondylitis, also known as humeral epicondylalgia, or, more commonly, tennis elbow, is a particular tendinopathy affecting the extensor tendons of the wrist and fingers

The inflammation arises when the tendons that insert on the lateral humeral epicondyle at the elbow undergo degeneration that affects the elastic fibres that are replaced with scar fibres.

Sometimes this degeneration can be induced by microtrauma or ‘overuse’, for example due to repeated unnatural positions and arm strain.

Epicondylitis: who does it affect?

Epicondylitis affects 1 to 3% of the working-age population in Italy, between 25 and 60 years of age.

It is in fact a disorder that affects those who are forced, perhaps due to repetitive tasks, to keep the elbow and wrist in an unnatural position for a prolonged period of time.

It is a condition that affects, for example, those who work at computers for several hours a day, but also others such as waiters or mechanics.

Epicondylitis: pain not to be underestimated

Epicondylitis is often not taken seriously by patients, especially when associated with everyday gestures and habits, which patients do not consider harmful. In such cases the risk is that of a late diagnosis, resulting in chronicity of the disorder.

Tennis elbow causes the tendon to lose elasticity and, in this way, impairs wrist and elbow movements.

Pain is the main alarm bell, as it radiates into the arm with every movement, even during the simplest actions.

In addition, due to its tendency to become chronic, epicondylitis can have a negative impact on patients’ quality of life and prevent normal daily activities.

Tennis Elbow: How is it treated?

Epicondylitis is diagnosed by palpation of the epicondyle and specific tests, which, if positive, may indicate the presence of the condition.

Generally, once the severity of the problem has been established, an initial conservative approach is attempted, involving the use of:

anti-inflammatories;
physical therapies such as laser therapy and focal shock waves, in order to improve local microvascularisation;
physiotherapy and stretching sessions to be done at home to allow the tendons to regain elasticity.

Last, but fundamental, is rest: in order for the other treatments to be successful, the elbow and wrist will have to avoid those movements that cause the tendon to strain.

These therapies serve both to increase the elasticity of the tendon and to improve vascularisation. The two aspects combine to affect the tendon’s ability to move and the pain experienced by the patient.