Lateral Epicondylitis
Erick M. Marigi, Malik Dancy, Andrew Alexander, Ian Marigi, Julian Clark, Aaron J. Krych, Christopher L. Camp, Kelechi R. Okoroha
Abstract
»: Lateral epicondylitis (LE) or tennis elbow is a common cause of elbow pain in the general population, especially women in the fourth and fifth decades of life who participate in repetitive forceful movements involving the wrist and forearm. »: The pathogenesis of this overuse injury is believed to start from an overload event leading to a microtear in or near the origin of the extensor carpi radialis brevis that is subsequently prone to additional injury and structural weakness over time. »: Treatment of LE often begins with a wide variety of nonoperative modalities including rest, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, bracing, and physical therapy. For recalcitrant symptoms, additional nonoperative therapies are implemented; however, there remains a lack of comparative efficacy between these adjunct treatments. »: In this article, we examine the available literature regarding nonoperative management of LE and provide supplementary insight into the effectiveness of current modalities.