Andy’s ‘Tennis Elbow’

We have the best listeners here at B-98.5. I was talking about how my right elbow and forearm were bothering me for about a week and listeners instantly called and messaged me on facebook that it sounded like I had tennis elbow. So, I went to google and checked the symptoms of tennis elbow and I knew I had developed a case of it.

I first noticed it about a week ago at the gym. I've been lifting heavy and have stepped it up the past few months and was excited over the gains I've been making with my lifting. At first I thought it was just muscles growing and being sore and at my age it was just taking a little longer to recover. So foolishly, I kept lifting and working through the pain. Then a couple of days ago, I was doing 'skull crushers' for my triceps and a sharp pain went right through my right arm and I almost dropped the weight. I stopped lifting and starting talking on air about it and listeners like Lisa Cote and Clyde Williams told me it was tennis elbow and with their help, here's what I've learned about tennis elbow.

It's a soreness or pain on the outside (lateral) side of the upper arm near the elbow. The part of the muscle that attaches to a bone is called a tendon. Some of the muscles in your forearm attach to the bone on the outside of your elbow. When you use these muscles over and over again, small tears develop in the tendon. That leads to irritation and pain where the tendon is attached to the bone. Activities that involve repetitive twisting of the wrist can lead to this condition. Symptoms include elbow pain that gradually worsens. Pain radiating from the outside of the elbow to the forearm and back of the hand when grasping or twisting.

Treatment includes resting your arm and avoiding activity that causes symptoms for at least 2 to 3 weeks. Putting ice on the outside of your elbow a few times a day. Taking anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen or aspirin. As always it's best to see a health care provider.