Lateral epicondylitis, colloquially called tennis elbow, is the most common cause of elbow pain in the general population. It is most common between 35-50 years old. The main causes of the disease are excessive occupation with manual work, situations requiring repeated wrist movements.
It is a disease that causes pain in the protrusion on the outer part of the elbow and its surroundings due to wrist movements. It is named as this as it is common in tennis players. Apart from sports; many activities such as painting, catching, using a screwdriver and hammer, opening a jar lid, turning a valve can cause tendon injury that causes tennis elbow.
Excessive use of the wrist, repetitive and compelling movements cause tears at the attachment site of the tendon outside the elbow. Every time the relevant movements are made, there is pain in the tear area. If the treatment is delayed, the tear grows and becomes chronic.
In the treatment of Lateral Epicondylitis (Tennis Elbow) disease;
In the first phase (0-3 weeks); it is recommended to use wrist splint or epicondylitis elbow brace in combination with pain relief-anti-edema medications.
In the Second Stage (3 Weeks-6 Months); local cortisone and PRP applications, tens and stretching and physical therapy applications are recommended.
In the third stage (cases past 6 months and with no response to conservative treatment); open or arthroscopic (closed) surgical treatment is applied.
In the postoperative period, after resting the wrist with a splint for the first 3 weeks, physical therapy is recommended for 4 weeks.
