Fix Tendonitis

Elbow tendonitis - common with computer users

May 17th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed

Do you pay attention to ergonomics as you use your computer? If you don’t you may experience pain in your arms from elbow tendonitis.

Elbow tendonitis usually results from overuse of the muscles and tendons of the forearm which causes inflammation as well as pain around the elbow joint.

The mechanism that causes this condition to occur can differ from case to case and may be due to a single and violent action or because of repetitive stress injury (RSI) that is very common, and occurs because of an action being performed repeatedly, thus causing pain to develop gradually.

It can occur in everyone, especially computer users, golfers and tennis players, and is most pronounced when the offending action increases in intensity or duration. Elbow tendonitis is very common to athletes, but is also known to occur when weekend carpenters use hand tools occasionally.

The condition is generally self-limited and will not result in any long-term disability, and very rarely requires surgery for treatment, as it can be managed with proper rest as well as rehabilitation. You can take anti-inflammatory medications that can be used orally, which is simple to take and will help to control the inflammation as well as manage the pain. In case normal anti-inflammatory medications fail, then cortisone injections may be taken.

Tendons that attach the bones at the elbow can often become inflamed and these tendons arise from the movement of muscles that move the wrist, and because the wrist is used for many functions, it is not surprising that elbow tendonitis occurs a lot in these tendons. Also, many tennis players are affected that use a lot of forceful wrist movements, and such a condition is commonly referred to as a “tennis elbow”. In spite of tennis players being most often struck, elbow tendonitis can occur in any person that uses their wrists and hands routinely, and even office workers that spend a lot of time using the phone, fax or computer and filing and other repetitive activities are just as liable to be struck with this condition.

Elbow tendonitis is treatable

The good news is that elbow tendonitis is almost always treatable and curable as well. The best treatment for elbow tendonitis is of course taking a lot of rest from activities that cause the symptoms to appear. One may also use ice on the inflamed tendons of the elbow for about twenty minutes, twice or three times daily. Elbow tendonitis can affect the patient’s ability to perform normal routine activities and will thus require rehabilitation which should aim to reduce pain, increase flexibility as well as strengthen as well as restore function.

This may require getting an evaluation of the patient’s strength, posture as well as flexibility and also the need to determine which activities are causing the condition to arise. To get back to shape once again, the patient should get expert advice and tips that will require their following certain routines as well as make simple adjustments so that there is no further aggravation of the condition.