The myths and facts of tennis elbow

Many people love the idea of having their own private tennis court constructed. But some people worry that if they have a court built it will lead to them overplaying the game and developing the painful condition of tennis elbow. However, there are a number of myths surrounding this injury, so let’s take a look at them.

Myth: You only get tennis elbow from playing tennis

Given the name of the condition, you might assume that tennis elbow is something that you can only get from playing tennis. This isn’t the case at all. Tennis elbow can be caused by a variety of activities including any racquet sport, gardening, painting or manual work like bricklaying. Naturally, tennis can cause the condition, but it is by no means the only issue.

Fact: Changing your technique can help to prevent tennis elbow

If you are concerned about getting tennis elbow from playing tennis, or you have suffered from it in the past, it could be worth having some professional tuition. Tennis lessons can help you to adjust your technique which can ensure that you avoid the repetitive strain that is causing the problem.

Myth: There’s nothing you can do about the pain

Another worry is that tennis elbow is a painful condition that you can’t do anything about. In fact, tennis elbow can usually be treated with shop-bought painkillers and you can even look into options such as physiotherapy to relieve the pain.

Fact: The solution is usually simple

Tennis elbow is self-limiting – it gets better without treatment. The important thing to note is that if you start getting tennis elbow you need to take action such as resting your arm and avoiding the actions that are causing the symptoms for a few days.

Myth: All tennis players get tennis elbow

It’s also a complete myth that all tennis players will get tennis elbow. In fact, it is only a very small percentage of regular players who suffer from the condition.