If you’ve ever had elbow pain and you’ve searched on Google about your pain, it’s quite possible you’ve run into the terms tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow. When I’m treating patients in our clinic with elbow pain, some ask me how they could possibly develop tennis or golfer’s elbow without playing any sports. Whether you are an athlete or not, tennis and golfer’s elbow are a result of overuse. This overuse can come from repetitive stress during sports and/or during normal daily activities.
Shiri et al1 investigated the occurrence of tennis and golfers elbow within a large population in Finland. The authors looked at the subject’s work environment and asked each subject if they were exposed to different physical loads at work. The included which included lifting/carrying/pushing/pulling items, different hand grips like squeezing, twisting, holding tools, repetitive movements of the hands/wrists, and repetitive use of a keyboard. The authors found that there was a direct correlation of developing tennis and golfer’s elbow and being exposed to these types of physical loads at work. Since the work activities included in this article are very common in the US, it is easy to recognize why tennis and golfer’s elbow is a popular complaint.
Whether you are an athlete or not, exposing your elbow to repetitive stress can cause irritation and pain if the body is not prepared for these loads. If you would like to learn more about your elbow pain, where it comes from, how it developed and most importantly, how to get it better, check out my short video posted below.
If you suffer from elbow pain, and would like to speak to a physical therapist, click below for your free discovery visit with Buffalo Rehab Group.
Reference:
- Am J Epidemiol. 2006 Dec 1;164(11):1065-74. Epub 2006 Sep 12
