Common Elbow Injuries in Sport

Athletes of all ages and skill levels are increasingly participating in sports involving overhead arm motions, making elbow injuries more common. Among these injuries is lateral epicondylitis, which occurs in over 50% of athletes using overhead arm motions. Lateral epicondylitis is characterised by pain in the area where the common extensor muscles meet the lateral humeral epicondyle. The onset of this pathological condition begins with the excessive use of the wrist extensor musculature. Repetitive microtraumatic injury can lead to mucinoid degeneration of the extensor origin and subsequent failure of the tendon. Lateral epicondylitis can almost always be treated nonoperatively with activity modification and specific exercises. If the athlete fails to respond to nonoperative treatment after 6 months to 1 year, they are candidates for surgical intervention.