with the Orthopedic Associates of Central Maryland...

and I work at Howard County General Hospital.

Tennis Elbow is a condition that involves

inflammation and degeneration of the tendons

on the outside of the elbow. It leads to pain...

on the outside of the elbow and it sometimes radiates down into the wrist...

...and can give you weakness and swelling in the wrist and elbow area.

In my practice I rarely see a tennis player get tennis elbow.

I think over the past six months I've seen one tennis player get tennis elbow, but

people from all walks of life, all kind of occupations

from weight lifters to stay-at-home moms.

Anybody can get tennis elbow.

Tennis elbow would give you pain on the outside of the elbow,

give you pain with activities

that involve lifting something heavy,

can give you pain that radiates down into the arm,

can give you swelling on the outside of the elbow and limitation in motion.

Initial treatment for tennis elbow usually involves rest,

modifying ones physical activities and avoiding heavy lifting for a few months.

It can involve simple things like a brace,

physical therapy,

um... and then occasional cortisone injection,

...and, when these treatments have failed,

surgical treatment can be an option.

Treatment for tennis elbow involves

cleaning out the degenerative tendon on the outside of the elbow.

It can be done through a standard

open incision on the outside of the elbow or it can be done arthroscopically,

which is where a telescope is placed into the elbow...

...and the whole procedure is done

through the endoscopic telescope.

I usually place my patients into a wrist brace after the surgery for a few weeks.

I allow them unlimited activities.

Most patients are off pain medication within a few days to a few weeks.

You have an occasional soreness...

that might take a few months to go away, but there are no restrictions afterwards.

I allow my patients to return to work as soon as they want to...

and return to most activities.