Tennis Elbow Specialist in Kansas City, MO
Tennis elbow, also known as lateral epicondylitis, is an uncomfortable condition that develops when the tendons in your elbow are overworked. Typically, this results from repetitive wrist and arm motions. Tennis elbow primarily hurts where your forearm muscle tendons meet the bony area outside your elbow. Some patients may experience wrist and forearm pain, as well as pain when bending or straightening the arm. Gripping something as simple as a can of soda can cause pain. Tennis elbow is a common injury affecting nearly three million people annually.
What Can Cause Tennis Elbow?
Our top-rated orthopedic doctors in Kansas City know that tennis elbow isn’t just a problem for athletes. Overuse through repetitive motion and muscle strain are common causes of tennis elbow. Plumbers, painters, carpenters, and butchers are among the professions that use repetitive motions that can cause tiny tears and stress on the tendons. Some activities that can contribute to tennis elbow include:
- Using plumbing tools
- Painting
- Driving screws
- Cutting up cooking ingredients such as meat
- Repetitive computer mouse use
- Carpentry
- Playing some types of musical instruments
- Working on cars
- Working on an assembly line
- Gardening and landscaping
- Baseball and softball
- Bowling
- Fencing
- Golfing
- Tennis, squash, pickleball, and racquetball
What are The Symptoms of Tennis Elbow?
Pain is the primary symptom of tennis elbow. You may feel a burning sensation on the outside of your elbow. The area may ache or be painful to the touch. You may also experience stiffness or pain when you try to straighten your arm. This pain is typically triggered by specific movements, such as turning a doorknob or gripping objects.
If you have any of these symptoms after an accident or injury, visit our orthopedic urgent care walk-in clinics for immediate evaluation and diagnosis.
What are the Three Main Ways to Alleviate Tennis Elbow Pain?
The most common ways to treat tennis elbow are to rest, including avoiding movements that cause pain, applying ice to the affected area, and taking over-the-counter medications like Ibuprofen; however, there are more options for those who feel like these solutions are not working.
If further treatment is required, the following steps at Orthopedic Health of Kansas City include injections into the painful tendon or dry needling when the doctor puts a needle inside the tendon in multiple places.
Other procedures may include extracorporeal shock wave therapy, when shock waves help break up scar tissue, causing blood flow to return to the damaged area. Ultrasonic tenotomy is when ultrasound is used to guide a needle into damaged portions of the tendon, and ultrasonic energy moves the needle so quickly that the damaged tissue breaks down and can be sucked out. If pain is still present after 6-12 months, surgery may be the only option.
About 95% of people who suffer from tennis elbow recover with non-surgical treatments. However, those who end up needing surgery for this usually see their symptoms improve within a year after their surgery.
What are the Possible Risks of Tennis Elbow Surgery
Every surgery carries some amount of risk. Some risks of tennis elbow surgery include:
- Loss of forearm strength
- Infection
- Decreased range of motion
- Nerve injury
- Reactions to medication used during surgery
- Repeat surgery
Continuing to do the same activities without taking proper precautions can lead to further trauma after surgery. Making sure you use the correct form while performing these activities can help you prevent damage to the tendons in your elbow.
Orthopedic Specialist for Tennis Elbow in Kansas City
There’s no reason to live with pain; our orthopedic elbow specialists are ready to help diagnose and treat your tennis elbow and other orthopedic injuries. With multiple locations around Kansas City, you are never far from care. Book an appointment online or call us at (816)561-3003 for a consultation.
