Tennis Elbow: What It Really Means (And Why You Don’t Need to Play Tennis to Get It)
You wake up one morning, try to lift your coffee mug, and there it is — that stubborn pain on the outside of your elbow. Maybe you brushed it off last week thinking it was just a strain. But now, the discomfort has become more noticeable. It nags at you when you grip your toothbrush, carry groceries, or even open a door. Surprised? Don’t be. This is something we see almost every day at Adam Vital Hospital, and it’s often not caused by sports. It’s called tennis elbow , and ironically, most people who have it have never even held a tennis racket. So, What Is Tennis Elbow, Really? Tennis elbow is the layman’s term for lateral epicondylitis — a painful condition that happens when the tendons connecting your forearm muscles to your elbow become overloaded. Repetition is the usual culprit. You don’t have to be hitting serves on a clay court — typing all day, lifting weights incorrectly, or using tools can wear those tendons down over time. Think of it this way: the tendons in your elb...