Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis, is a common overuse injury that causes pain on the outer part of the elbow. While many associate it with visible swelling, it's entirely possible to have tennis elbow without any noticeable swelling. In this blog lets discuss more and uncover why swelling isn’t always a defining factor for tennis elbow.
Tennis elbow occurs when repetitive stress leads to inflammation in the tendons that attach to the bony part of the outer elbow. This condition is common among people who frequently use their hands for tasks like typing, lifting, or even repetitive hobbies such as baking or painting. Pain is often felt on the outer elbow, radiating down the forearm and into the fingers. In chronic cases, the pain may also extend into the upper arm, shoulder, or neck.
Swelling is one of the classic signs of inflammation, but its absence doesn’t rule out tennis elbow. Here’s why:
Body’s Healing Response: Your body’s natural healing mechanisms may limit swelling, particularly if the condition is mild or you’ve adapted to reduce aggravating activities.
Reduced Inflammation: If you’ve been managing your symptoms with rest, ice packs, or anti-inflammatory treatments, the swelling may have already subsided, even if the underlying condition persists.
Chronic Condition: Long-standing cases of tennis elbow often involve less acute inflammation and more structural damage, such as micro-tears in the tendons. These cases may lack visible swelling but still cause significant pain.
Watch this video to learn 'How to Reduce Inflammation in Tennis and Golfer's Elbow Naturally?'
Even without swelling, you can perform simple tests to identify tennis elbow:
Pain with Stretching: Extend your arm fully and flex your wrist downward. If this movement causes discomfort in the outer elbow or forearm, it indicates a possible tennis elbow.
Pain with Resistance: With your arm straight, make a fist and try to lift your wrist upward against resistance. Pain during this motion is another hallmark of tennis elbow.
If you suspect tennis elbow, focus on activities that reduce stress on the tendons. Take frequent breaks from repetitive tasks, incorporate gentle stretching exercises, and use hot or cold packs as needed. These are the hot and cold pack that I use and recommend.
HERE is a free checklist on ‘Desk ergonomics: Set Up Your Workspace for Tennis Elbow Relief’ It has tips on simple adjustments to your workspace can help relieve and even prevent Tennis Elbow symptoms.
Get the course on "Simple Solutions to Manage your Tennis Elbow" HERE. In this course you can learn effective, easy-to-implement techniques to manage and reduce tennis elbow pain so you can move more comfortably, strengthen your arm, prevent flare ups, achieve long term relief and much more.
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