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of Brooklyn and Staten Island
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| "Failure is not an option" |

What is tennis elbow?
Anyone who repeatedly and forcefully uses wrist
extension strains the extensor muscle tendon at the outer
side of the elbow. Tennis elbow is not limited to tennis
players.
What you feel
The outer side of the elbow hurts during or
after lifting heavy weights. The elbow tendon is too weak for the
weights.
Treatment
You can either lessen the strain or
strengthen the tendon. The latter is easier said than done. The
strain can be lessened in a couple of ways.
- Reduce the force with which you lift weights and
- Reduce the frequency with which you lift weights.
- I splint the wrist in extension to reduce the extension
strain on the extensor muscles and tendons.
- If this does not work, I prescribe anti-inflammatory
medications. Advil is off-the-counter medication. It
should be taken in proper dose. It is not good for people
with stomach ulcers.
- If this does not work, I give a cortisone injection. The
dose is small and does not cause side effects. I give the
injection as many times as necessary. It is repeated
after two weeks, a month, two months, as dictated by the
severity of pain.
- Surgery is the last resort.