Find relief for strange forearm pain.
Could you
have the yips?
Sometimes things you've
done a thousand times get
harder, not easier.
If you watch or play sports,
you've probably heard
of "the yips"— muscle
spasms that are notorious
for wrecking a golfer's
putt, tennis player's swing
or baseball player's pitch.
But the yips, also called
dystonia, can affect
anyone who performs
repetitive movements.
For example, if you write,
type or play a musical
instrument, the condition
could affect your life.
To correct the yips,
The Dystonia Society
recommends changing
your approach with a
different grip, tool or
technique. Since anxiety
can make yips symptoms
worse, relaxation
techniques or meditation
can help, too.
To fi nd help from
the Northwell
Health Rehabilitation
Network, visit
bit.ly/goodbye-yips .
Making the same wrist and hand
movements over and over again can
damage the tissue that connects the
muscles and bone in the forearm. That
damage, and the pain that comes with
it, is tennis elbow (other variants include
golfer's elbow).
Despite the common names of
this overuse injury, it doesn't only
bother athletes. Also at high risk
for tennis elbow are professionals
who depend on hand tools, such as
painters, plumbers, carpenters, auto
mechanics and meat cutters. Another
common cause is heavy, repetitive
computer work.
Chronic tennis elbow doesn't mean
it's time to fi nd a new career. Proper
nonsurgical care, which may include
rest, physical therapy or bracing,
corrects the condition 80 to 95 percent
of the time, according to the American
Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
Signs of tennis elbow,
paths of healing
There are three common symptoms of
lateral epicondylitis (the technical term
for this ailment):
– Gradually worsening elbow pain
– Pain that moves from the elbow to
the forearm and hand when grasping
– Weakened grasp with elbow ache
If these sound familiar, your doctor
will probably recommend rest. Avoid
twisting your forearm, especially while
bending your wrist, for several weeks
so the connective tissue (tendon) can
heal. If a time-out doesn't relieve the
pain, your doctor may recommend over-
the-counter pain or anti-infl ammatory
medicine, applying ice packs, bracing,
physical therapy, and/or injections
of corticosteroid.
If these conservative treatments don't
help within six to 12 months, surgery may
be the best option. Northwell Health
orthopedic surgeons remove damaged
tissue and repair the elbow tendon with
minimally invasive techniques. Recovery
takes about four to six months.
Back in the swing
After treatment, maintain your wellness.
To avoid tennis elbow:
– Don't repeatedly twist or rotate your
forearm, especially with a bent wrist.
– Take frequent breaks or alternate
tasks that do not involve any pushing,
pulling or twisting.
Find the best move for you. Visit
bit.ly/tennis-elbow-help to make an
appointment with a Northwell Health
orthopedic specialist. If you prefer, please
call (888) 321-DOCS or (855) ORTHO-04.
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bit.ly/health-wellness-news.
Subscribe today!
When
tennis
elbow hits off the court
By Maria Conforti
northwell.edu
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