Tennis elbow is a common catchall phrase for inflammatory disorders of the elbow. However, most of the time it doesn’t have anything to do with playing tennis. Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) is an overuse/strain disorder caused by repetitive contraction of the muscles of the forearm and wrist. In addition to racquet sports, activities such as painting, using a screwdriver or a knife for food preparation can all cause inflammation and pain in the elbow. Conservative treatment would begin with resting the upper extremity, using ice on the affected area and over the counter NSAIds (Advil, Aleve). There are cases where chronic imflammation of the elbow can lead to adhesions or scar tissue to form around the joint which can result in nagging pain or even disability. If this is a condition you may be dealing with that hasn’t responded to conservative treatments, come see us at First Choice Physical Therapy where our therapists can design a treatment program to get you felling better soon.