Tennis elbow is an overuse injury where the tendons that attach your forearm muscles to the bony bump on the outside of your elbow become irritated, weakened, or develop tiny tears, leading to pain around the outer elbow and forearm.

Quick Scoop: What Is Tennis Elbow?

  • Medical name: Lateral epicondylitis.
  • What’s happening: The tendon (most often the extensor carpi radialis brevis) that helps extend your wrist and fingers gets worn down by repeated use, causing microscopic tears and degeneration rather than a sudden tear.
  • Where it hurts: Pain and tenderness are felt on the outside of the elbow (the lateral epicondyle) and can spread down the back of the forearm.
  • Typical cause: Repetitive gripping, wrist extension, or twisting motions – not just tennis, but also activities like using tools, typing, painting, plumbing, or racquet sports.
  • Who gets it: Common in adults, often over 30–40, especially those doing repeated manual or racquet activities; many people who get it have never played tennis.

Common Symptoms

  • Pain or burning on the outside of the elbow, sometimes radiating down the forearm.
  • Weak grip strength, making it harder to hold a mug, turn a doorknob, or shake hands.
  • Pain that worsens with activities like lifting, gripping, or twisting the forearm (e.g., using a screwdriver, racquet swings).
  • Symptoms usually come on gradually and can last for weeks or months if not managed.

Why It Happens (In Simple Terms)

Repeated strain loads the tendon where the forearm extensors attach to the outer elbow, especially when the elbow is straight and the wrist is extended (like hitting a backhand in tennis or lifting something with your palm facing down).

Over time, this can cause small tendon damage and degenerative changes rather than classic “inflammation,” which is why it often lingers.

Very Brief on Treatment (High Level)

  • Rest or modification of painful activities, not total immobilization.
  • Ice, short-term pain relief (as advised by a clinician), and a forearm strap or brace in some cases.
  • Targeted exercises and physiotherapy to gradually load and strengthen the tendon and forearm muscles.
  • Most people improve over time with conservative care; surgery is reserved for persistent, severe cases that don’t respond to other treatments.

If your elbow pain is severe, persistent, associated with a fall or injury, or you notice numbness, marked weakness, or swelling, it’s important to see a healthcare professional for a proper diagnosis and tailored treatment.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.