Lateral epicondylitis, or Tennis Elbow, can be a very painful condition. In some cases, it can persist and become chronic or can reoccur with repetitive activities. Athletes who require repetitive movements, as well as those whose jobs require recurring elbow and wrist function are the most likely to suffer.
The soft tissues of the wrist and elbow must be treated initially to allow the pain to decrease and for normal function and movement to improve. Another treatment consideration for those suffering from tennis elbow is the loss of strength that occurs while dealing with this painful issue and when to return to normal activity.
If someone is dealing with pain and weakness making it difficult to play a sport or perform other daily tasks, improving strength and loading the soft tissues must take place for the issue to fully resolve and lessen the likelihood of reoccurring. Specifically, eccentric loading has shown to be effective. In short, muscles will contract when we load them. During an eccentric contraction, the tissues are lengthening, while concentric contraction involves shortening tissues. Recommended exercises to those dealing with lateral epicondylitis will often include eccentric loading.
