Due to its name, many people think of tennis elbow as a sports injury. Tennis players often develop pain and inflammation in the tendons in their elbow from swinging the racket. It is the repetitive motion that makes this dangerous. Swinging a tennis racket once is not likely to cause any damage, but doing so thousands of times per year, for years on end, can certainly cause complications. This can lead to pain and discomfort, along with difficulty moving the elbow joint or even the wrist.
However, tennis elbow is not exclusively a sports injury. It can happen to anyone who has to make the same repetitive motion with their elbow. This means that trade workers are often at risk.
For example, roofers, drywallers, carpenters and construction workers may all have to use hammers on the job. This creates a very similar swinging motion to playing tennis, and working in this profession for decades could lead to the same type of inflammation, pain and discomfort. This is a job-related repetitive strain injury.
What medical treatments are possible?
If you do develop tennis elbow, there are potential medical options to consider, such as:
- Medicine
- Ice
- Injections
- Braces
- Stretching
- Activity modification
In rare cases, surgery may also be needed to treat tennis elbow. This can be a very expensive process and may come with long healing times. Most people will not need surgery, but even doctor’s appointments and medications can be added expenses. Those who have been injured on the job need to know exactly what options they have to seek appropriate workers’ comp benefits.