Eliminate Tennis Elbow
with Regenerative Medicine
What is tennis elbow?
Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis, is a musculoskeletal condition that causes tendonitis affecting the common extensor tendon that connects forearm muscles to bones in the lateral elbow and wrist (See Figure 1).
The extensor tendons permit the wrist to extend backward away from the palm.
Tendons are a type of connective tissue made up primarily of strong collagenous fibers. However, they are not designed to stretch and extend. This makes the tendons that attach to the medial and lateral epicondyles of the humerus vulnerable to injury.
Elbow tendinopathy represents an important set of pathologies that account for lost recreation time, decreased quality of life, and work-related disability claims.
Figure 1. Tennis elbow or lateral epicondylitis involves pain and inflammation originating from the common extensor tendon on the lateral (outside) elbow at the lateral epicondyle of the humerus (upper arm bone). Micro-tears degrade the tendon in the area shown in red.
Causes, Signs And Symptoms
What are the symptoms of tennis elbow?
Lateral elbow pain (or lateral epicondyle pain) usually starts as tenderness in the dominant arm due to repeated overloading of forearm muscles.
Most patients who develop tennis elbow experience some or all of these symptoms:
- Stiffness in the forearm causing difficulty in making a fist
- A tender spot on the outside of the elbow
- Pain radiating from your elbow to your forearm and wrist
- Reduction in grip strength
- Tingling and numbness in the affected hand
What Causes tennis Elbow?
Tennis elbow is caused by tiny micro-tears in the medial common flexor tendon that connects your elbow to the wrist and finger muscles.
Recurrent tears lead to tendonitis, tissue death, and thickening of the tendon which can cause significant pain.Specific causes and risk factors for tennis elbow include:
- Repeated movements, like arm bending, swinging, flexing, gripping, and twisting of the wrist can cause pain in the lateral elbow.
- Incorrect use of a sports racquet or poor throwing technique while playing rugby, basketball, or baseball
- Occupational hazards for plumbers, carpenters, butchers, painters, computer-mouse users, and builders
- Injuries during weight training due to lack of warmup and conditioning
- It can affect anyone in the 45-64 age bracket, but women are at higher risk than men.
How is tennis elbow diagnosed?
Our Specialists diagnose tennis elbow using a multipronged approach.
Imaging with X-Rays or MRI: X-rays may be used to rule out other causes of your arm/elbow pain. Rarely, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan is needed to confirm the diagnosis.
Medical History: Our doctors will ask you about the nature of your elbow, wrist, and finger pain. They will ask about prior surgeries, accidents, and trauma to the arm.
Physical Exam: The doctor may ask you to move your arm in various ways and against resistance to locate the source of pain to make an affirmative diagnosis.
Treatment Options
The StemX clinic offers a range of customized Regenerative Medicine solutions for Tennis Elbow treatment
Wharton’s Jelly
PRP
Hyaluronic Acid/
Prolotherapy
The StemX Approach
StemX is California’s leading provider of holistic and regenerative medicine services. Our experts don’t just offer popular treatments, but customized medical solutions based on individual needs.
Located in Solana Beach, California, the StemX clinic is composed of a team of expert doctors with years of experience administering regenerative medicine treatments for joint disease. Our team has:
How To Get Started
Consultation:
Our California-based clinic intake team will match you to the appropriate provider with the expertise to treat your injury and schedule an exam.
Initial Exam:
Your doctor will take your medical history and facts surrounding your injury/complaint, conduct a physical exam, and order imaging tests (X-rays, MRI’s, etc.).
Treatment determination:
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Mark your calendar:
A date will be set for your procedure, and you will be given instructions on how to prepare for your appointment.
Treatment Procedure
While each treatment may be customized, you can expect your experience to be similar to the following:
