Management of lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow)

### What you need to know Lateral epicondylitis (also known as tennis elbow) is a common, often debilitating disorder frequently encountered in primary care across low and high resource settings.12 This article outlines current management strategies, including supportive measures, activity modification, and newer treatments that have emerged over the past 20 years, such as percutaneous needle fenestration and injection of autologous blood and platelet rich plasma. Lateral epicondylitis is a type of tendinosis, a degenerative process where repetitive stress causes fibroblast deposition with collagen disorganisation and vascular hyperplasia.3 Pain causes underuse of the affected arm and further weakening in the tendon structure, with possible sequelae of partial or complete rupture of the tendon.4 Cadaveric and electromyographic studies show that symptoms (namely, lateral elbow pain) are often related to excessive loading of the lateral extensor tendons, as well as repetitive wrist extension or supination movements.5 The condition commonly presents as a work related strain injury, and often affects tennis players6 (box 1). Box 1 ### Who gets it?RETURN TO TEXT