Steemit Learning Challenge-S22W2; Tennis Elbow"
Greetings dear friend, it is a lovely weekend ,I believe you are catching fun in your environment. Am here again to write on the topic Tennis Elbow. I really enjoyed this course because our health is our wealth. Below is this week homework task carry out by me.
To my best understanding of this course,Tennis Elbow is pain on the outside of the elbow usually happens when a person overuse his or her hands or wrist to perform similar or certain tasks.
In medical terminology, tennis Elbow is also known as lateral epicondylitis. It is also terms as the condition in which inflammation or pain occur on the lateral side of the elbow.
This type of tendinitis commonly affects the tendons in the forearm and is likely to be idiopathic as it's causing pathogenesis are typically unknown.This disease is commonly found in tennis players, but it also becomes common in other people when their muscles are being used a lot, which are the muscles of the arm.
Causes of Tennis Elbow.
One of the primary cause of tennis Elbow is overuse of the forearm during common activities that involves gripping, bending, lifting and twisting.
Another thing that causes tennis Elbow is poor technique: this occurs if an individual uses improper technique when performing games.
An individual age contributes to the cause of this condition. Old age comes with wear and tear that leads to the degenerative changes in the tendons and muscle of the Elbow.
Symptoms of tennis Elbow.
If an individual experience painful feeling or tenderness on the outside of the elbow.
If someone complain of decreased muscle strength, reduced hand and wrist strength and even finding difficulty making fists.
Or if there is weakness on the forearm or fatigue on the forearm muscle or on the wrist due to continuous use.
Another symptoms is stiffness or limited mobility in the elbow.
Types of tennis elbow
Acute Tennis Elbow as the name implies is when there is a sudden onset of the forearm muscles developing pain or has inflammation due to recent use, and it also occurs when there is overuse as well.
Chronic Tennis Elbow: This type is classified as chronic because there is always a persistence pains, lasting for some months. If this type is not properly treated the inflammation lead to degenerative of the tendons.
Note that there are other types of tennis elbow such as subacute tennis Elbow which pains and inflammation persistent but it fluctuate. Other are posterior interosseous nerve syndrome, radial tunnel syndrome, and tennis elbow with radial head involvement.
In history taking, the doctor need to ask the patient about the location he or she is feeling pain, ask of the onset, if it is sudden or gradual. It is advisable for the doctor to ask about duration, intensity and radiation,if it is related to forearm or wrist.
History taking also involves getting to know patient's previous medical, surgical history, social and occupational history.
In physical examination Range of motion is the frist test, the doctor will examine the patient's wrist, elbow and shoulder, possible he will ask the patient to perform certain movement, if the patient experience pain in movement these might indicates tennis Elbow.
Another good physical examination is Palpation, the doctor will press on the outside of the elbow checking for tenderness, pain and stiffness because these three factors are among the symptoms of tennis Elbow.
Imaging Studies
Imaging studies come in three different set. Ultrasound scan, MRI and x-ray .
Ultrasound scan
The essence of ultrasound scan is to assess if there is any inflammation around the elbow or if there is a tendon tears.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging MRI : This imaging is carryout when there is a delay in treatment. We perform it to detect tear, degenerative changes in the tendons and soft tissue.
X-ray
The x-ray helps us to look for bone problems and fracture, note that they don't detect soft tissue of tennis Elbow.
Special Test
Maudsley's Test:
Maudsley's Test is one of the special test conducted in tennis Elbow, we ask patient to extend his or her middle finger and the doctor press their fingers downward. If much pain is fell in the lateral elbow, we believe that tennis Elbow is certain.
Mill's Tests
The essence of this test is identify tennis Elbow when we pull the arm muscles to identify the pain.
In conducting mill's test, the doctor will tell the patient to sit with him or her arm well relaxed and the doctor bends his or her wrist form the bottom to the top and fully extend elbow. It is advisable for the patient to rotate the arm to stretch the muscles. If the individual feels pain while stretching, this indicate that tennis elbow.
Cozen's Test:
Cozen's test help us to identify most of the extensor muscles of the arm. It is always associated with Extensor Carpi Radialis Brevis (ECRB).
The doctor will flexed the patient's elbow to 90 degree and wrist is extended. The doctor resist wrist extension while palpating the lateral epicondyle, during this test if pain and tenderness is experience it mean tennis Elbow is positive.
There are other special test like middle finger test and Resisted wrist extension test.
Try to practice at least 3 exercises that you have learned from the lesson.
Wrist Isometric Exercises
Wrist flexor stretch
Finger Stretch
Among all the exercise, I choose wrist Isometric Exercises, Wrist Flexors Stretch and Finger Stretch. I really enjoyed this experience because it has really improve the health status of my wrist an my entire arm.
During the exercise, I experience that the exercise really expose lot of stress to the arm muscle which gradually relaxed after some minutes. Thereafter I feel energetic in the both hands .
The exercises helped to improving my finger range of motions, it also ease pain on the fingers and wrist. My fingers felt better, good, exercised and had a relaxing feeling after this exercise.
Thanks so much @ashkhan for improving our health through this course. I would like to invite @goodybest, @rumisha, @pandora2010 and @wringo to share their entry with us.
Thank you for understanding the lesson and sharing your assignment; I hope that you will enjoy this week's lesson and try to implement it in your life if you see any such case.
Observations
Task 1 (3/3)
You have shared a great knowledge about tennis elbow, its symptoms, cause, it's types. That's good you explain the types of tennis elbow. I appreciate your effort.
Task 2 (3/3)
In the second question, you tell us about how you have to assess a patient by doing physical examination, history taking, special tests and investigations. Excellent.
Task 3 (3.9/4)
You try the finger stretches, wrist flexor stretch, wrist isometric exercises. You did the finger stretches, wrist isometric exercises, and wrist flexors stretch correctly. But I already told stretches should be hold for 5 to 10 seconds. So remember that next time. Always remember to apply heat pack in chronic condition and ice pack in acute condition before performing exercises to relax the muscles and reduce stiffness. I appreciate your efforts.
Overall you made a great attempt to answer all the questions. I appreciate your efforts. But next time try to avoid the above written suggestions. Keep learning and try to implement your knowledge to the people suffering from tennis elbow or any type of wrist. Thank you.
¡Holaaa amiga!🤗
Aunque la medicina general ayuda a solucionar el codo de tenista, particularmente me gusta más aplicar las técnicas de la fisiatría y, es que como bien nos transmites en tus videos, los ejercicios que realizamos son cómodos además de que, la mejoría se logra con constancia y dedicación.
Te deseo mucho éxito en la dinámica... Un fuerte abrazo💚
It is interesting to learn about a new topic like this, despite its name not only tennis players can suffer from it so we must be very careful when performing repetitive movements, stretching is always very important.
Have a nice day!
Thanks so much for reading my post and adding a valuable comments to it.