Tennis Elbow

Newsday.com just published an article entitled "Get to Know 11 Home Remedies for Tennis Elbow," and it is likely advice that you already know like "ice the area," take aspirin," "use compression," and "rest."

Tennis elbow or "Epicondylitis" is a painful condition that can cause pain, swelling and movement limitation on the outside, "lateral" or inside "medial" parts of the elbow. Lateral Epicondylitis as a result of playing tennis is usually associated with hitting backhands and Medial Epicondylitis is most often caused by forehands or serves.

I advocate both the prevention and address of this issue first through the development of more functional stroke mechanics, as the mechanism of injury is almost always the result of sudden deceleration of the arm from a disruption of internal shoulder rotation.

Sure, if you get stronger, you will withstand more arm abuse. Nevertheless, if you focus on learning efficient strokes that don't place tremendous stress on your arm, you will rid yourself of this problem safely and effectively.