Repetetive motions may cause tennis elbow

Manish Patel

Published Friday, February 5, 2010

JF asks: What is tennis elbow, and how did I get it even though I don’t play tennis?

Tennis elbow is the name given to what is defined as Lateral Epicondylitis. It occurs after someone has performed any activity that involves repetitive motion of moving the wrist up and down (for example, raking the yard, painting, tennis). The repetitive motion causes inflammation of the tendons that allow you to move your wrist up and down.

If left untreated, it can lead to constant pain and tenderness on the outside portion of the elbow. Treatment can be as simple as physical therapy, if advanced enough; some may require a one-time cortisone injection to decrease inflammation.

AP asks: After playing soccer this past weekend, my knee has started to swell and occasionally pops and locks up. What should I do?

Swelling in the knee is not a good sign. Your knee typically should have no more that 5 to 10 millileters of joint fluid. A swollen knee can have as much as 100-200 ml of fluid.

A swollen knee is a “crying knee.” The locking sensation you have could be from a loose body in the knee that is catching. More commonly, it can be a sign of a cartilage tear called the meniscus. A meniscus tear can be confirmed by a good clinical exam as well as an MRI. If you have tear in your cartilage, it is better to get it addressed sooner than later, as meniscus tears may not heal on their own.

Dr. Manish Patel has extensive training in treating shoulder, elbow and knee injuries, and performing arthroscopic surgery. He is the principal medical practitioner in the offices of Southampton Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Center, on the campus of Southampton Memorial Hospital. Submit questions

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