You begin to develop severe pain in your elbow and the muscles and tendons surrounding it. Trying to lift things becomes impossible, the inflammation is painful and it keeps you from working. There was no clear event that caused it, such as catching yourself after slipping and falling. It has developed out of nowhere.
You go to the doctor, and they tell you that you have what is commonly called “tennis elbow.” You’re shocked because you’ve never played tennis at all. What are you really dealing with?
Repetitive motion injuries are common in many occupations
The thing to remember is that the injury to your elbow is probably a repetitive motion injury, meaning you’ve made the same motion so many times that it is taking a toll on your body. This overuse can lead to inflammation and pain.
An example of overuse could be if you work on an assembly line and you have to pick up items repeatedly, or if you work on a construction crew and you always use the same tools. Doing the same job over and over again stresses your body to an unnatural amount, in a very specific way, and that leads to the pain you feel.
It’s called tennis elbow because it’s often identified in tennis players who are making the same swinging motion millions of times. But experts do note that most people who are diagnosed with it are not tennis players, at least not outside of recreational play with their friends. You’re more likely to get tennis elbow at work, doing your job than while playing a sport. As such, you also need to know about your options to seek workers’ compensation.