What is tennis elbow or golfer’s
elbow (epicondylitis)?
Interestingly enough, it is generally not the tennis
players who develop tennis elbow. Instead, the disease
usually strikes do-it-yourselfers who perform some kind
of unaccustomed manual labour on weekends which places
too much strain – or improper strain – on their elbows.
Tennis elbow may lead to a chronic inflammation.
A very similar situation exists with respect to golfer’s
elbow. Here again it is usually not the people who play
regularly who develop problems.
The disease is presumably caused by intensified strain
on ligaments and muscles. Whereas the tendon attachment
on the medial (inside) joint surface is affected in
patients with golfer’s elbow, the tendon attachment on
the lateral (outside) joint surface is diseased in
patients with tennis elbow.