CAN TENNIS ELBOW TAKE YOU OFF THE COURT?
If you play pickleball enough or know someone who plays the game, you know that tendonitis or “tennis elbow” as it is called is a real issue. The consistent and persistent swing of the paddle can impact the tendons in the elbow and arm, which connects to the muscles in the lower arms.
Causes
One of the primary reasons pickleball players develop tennis elbow is due to the rapid movements caused by the constant swinging of the paddle. Tennis elbow is the primary cause of elbow pain for pickleball players, especially in older players. The good news is that tennis elbow can be treated, and most people don’t need to undergo any surgical procedures to get relief from pain. Some players would greatly benefit from physical therapy, steroid injections and, aghast, staying off the court to provide relief for the elbow. Also, wearing the right gear and holding the right paddle helps to absorb the shock from the ball.
How will you know if you have a tennis elbow?
There are cardinal signs that confirm tennis elbow include the following:
- Pain and tenderness in the outside part of the elbow, specifically in the bony knob.
- The pain radiates in the lower part or upper part of the arm.
- Pain when doing things with your hands, and the pain gets intense if you lift something, shake hands, open a door, make a fist, grip an object, and even if you just raise your hand or attempt to straighten your wrist.
How to diagnose tennis elbow?
Diagnosing tennis elbow includes taking a thorough assessment of your symptoms. Your pain level will be evaluated and scaled on 1-10. You will be asked to lift and move around your arms, wrist, elbow, and even your fingers. In most cases, more tests are performed such as an x-ray of your elbows to check for the elbow bones, a MRI to check how severely damaged the tendons in the elbows are, and electromyography to assess any abnormalities in the nerves in your elbow.
How to treat tennis elbow?
There are various approaches to treating tennis elbow, but, by far, the best remedy would be adequate rest. That’s truly a difficult truth for most pickleball players to hear. Sometimes the tendons and muscles get too stressed and they will require rest for the pain to alleviate.
There are other non-surgical ways to address the issue such as icing or cold compress every 15 minutes every 4 hours. Zero. Zero. Start’s Cooling Therapy Sleeve helps alleviate the pain and swelling.
Physical therapy can also provide significant relief. One of the best physical therapies for tennis elbow is mulligan mobilization with movement. Taping with kinesiology tape repositions the muscles, protecting the injured tendons from further strain and damage. Those exercises can help regain the strength in the muscles of the elbows, together with the surrounding and nearby structures such as the wrists, upper arm, and shoulder.
A steroid shot around a tendon might help ease the pain of tendonitis. These shots aren't for tendonitis lasting more than three months. Repeated steroid shots can weaken a tendon and increase the risk of the tendon tearing.
Platelet-rich plasma involves taking a sample of your own blood and spinning the blood to separate out the platelets and other healing factors. The solution is then injected into the area of chronic tendon irritation. Though research is still going on to find the best way to use platelet-rich plasma, it has shown promise in the treatment of many chronic tendon conditions.
It is imperative that you consult with a medical professional once you begin to experience chronic elbow pain. Zero. Zero. Start offers elbow support braces that can help to relieve the pain. We want to make sure that you are able to keep playing the game we know and love … pain free. Zero. Zero. Start! Game on!