Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) is a common repetitive stress injury among office workers. This is caused by prolonged usage of the computer mouse and keyboard. When the elbow tendon does not have the capacity to handle the repetitive load then small tears can occur which leads to pain and tenderness near the elbow joint. To rectify this problem, the tendon needs to undergo a slow progressive strength program to build up the capacity of the elbow tendon. We must also address the environmental factors that can overload the elbow tendon. In the office environment this could be the size of the mouse, type of chair or the height of the desk.
This is where a physiotherapist will be able to guide you along your rehabilitation journey and provide the appropriate advice to modify your environment. There are many environmental changes that can be made to help aid recovery for tennis elbow. In this blog, we will look at the computer mouse. An example of environmental modification is to change the standard non-vertical computer mouse to a vertical mouse. A vertical mouse mimics a natural handshake position and reduces muscular strain on the forearm. This helps reduce the load on the elbow tendon and improve wrist ergonomic posture. Forearm muscles play a pivotal role in managing tennis elbow because the forearm muscles originates from one of the elbow bones (lateral epicondyle) and attaches to the wrist bones. The function of a tendon is to attach muscles to bone. When you use the computer mouse the wrist goes into slight wrist extension and over a prolonged of time it can pull and fatigue the elbow tendon. Another modification is to adjust the mouse speed on the computer. Advanced optical tracking and faster mouse speed can reduce muscle and hand fatigue over time.
Physiotherapy rehabilitation is about identifying the optimal load where we can induce beneficial adaption to the elbow tendon and create more muscle fibres to help support movement. Initial progressive strengthening exercises will mostly focus on isometric and eccentric exercises. There is evidence to show that tendons respond the most in the eccentric phase. Forearm muscles can often get tight when are overused due to the repetitive nature of office work. A physiotherapist will be able to perform soft tissue massage on targeted muscles around the tendon the reduce your elbow pain. You can also use a massage ball to help release the forearm muscles.
Our physiotherapist can perform a comprehensive assessment to find out the underlying cause of your elbow pain. This can include an ergonomics assessment of your work environment. A Myphysio physiotherapists can provide you with a tailored and systematic treatment program. Book an appointment today. You can also follow us on Facebook or Instagram for tips on managing elbow pain.
In the month of April 2023, Myphysio is offering 50% off initial consultation for new patients with elbow pain. Mention BLOG50 at checkout to receive your discount and get your rehab journey started with an experienced Myphysio physiotherapist.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor or health care professional. We encourage you to discuss any questions or concerns you may have with your health care provider.