Definition of Tennis Elbow and Its Diagnosis - Essay Example

The centripetal force around the elbow generates stress, which could later develop into a tennis elbow in a very short period (Servier and Wilson, 375).

The term does not restrict injury to tennis players but is also known to occur to other active athletes engaged in sports requiring hyperextension of the arms and elbows, or even non-athletes who repeatedly use the arm. Tennis elbow is likewise observed in individuals who lift a lot at the elbow and who usually do tedious wrist movements. Tennis elbow is now commonly referred to as tennis epicondylosis, discarding the "itis" suffix, due to the absence of pathological evidence behind the inflammation (Servier and Wilson, 375 and Xplain, 1). The muscles responsible for straightening the fingers and wrist originate from a small bone protrusion on the outer part of the elbow. The pain brought about by lateral epicondylitis is focused on this side of the elbow, from which it might gradually spread through the upper arm and the outer region of the forearm.

The soreness is especially felt around the projection if the outer side of the elbow is strained and if the wrist is bent upwards against opposing forces. The pain may be occasionally felt farther in the hand while grasping. Once the elbow tendons are inflamed, the tissues would hardly heal by themselves since they are frequently used when the hand grasps or is utilized in daily activities (Conway, 43). Tennis elbow affects both men and women and is more common in those aged 40 and above.

The acute type of injury is commonly observed in active, young athletes while the chronic form exists in older individuals (Brown, 267). A case study involving an individual suffering from tennis elbow was done and will be presented in this paper. The anatomy and causes of the injury were examined, and available treatments were compared based on their efficiency and advantages. Case Report A 50-year-old man, fond of playing tennis as recreation, suffered from a tennis elbow on his right arm that had been persistent for five months after a tournament.

The patient was no longer capable of playing tennis. He already resorted to physical therapy wherein he attended twelve sessions for one and a half months, but his condition appeared to lack significant improvement. The patient was administered cortisone as part of the treatment but the medication provided only minimal comfort and temporary relief. After being injected with the therapeutic drug, he was able to play tennis again with his elbow brace or strap to provide support. However, the temporary comfort lasted for only two weeks.

The symptoms eventually returned and the patient described the damage to be his worst experienced pain. Anatomy Involved in the InjuryMusclesThe muscles important in elbow function is the biceps, triceps, and wrist flexors attached to the medial epicondyle and wrist extensors which are connected to the lateral epicondyle (Thomas and others, 459). Bones and Joints The main bones of the elbow are that of the upper arm and the forearm. The elbow joint has a complex mechanism of movement. The end of the radius bone at the elbow can be characterized as a knob with a cup.

It is smooth enough to allow gliding of the edges with the bone ulna (Servier and Wilson, 376). The elbow is the joint that helps bend the arm and rotate the wrist. It is composed of the humerus or the bone of the upper arm, and the radius and ulna which comprise the forearm.