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Home » What Causes Tennis Elbow?

What Causes Tennis Elbow?

It’s generally agreed upon that one of the main causes or risk factors of Tennis Elbow [Lateral Epicondylitis] is repetitive motions of the wrist, fingers and elbow – whether from tennis, golf, computer use, gardening or a host of other activities.

Unfortunately, if you have Tennis Elbow those repetitive motions became too much for you at some point, and your outer forearm muscles and their tendons became overloaded.

It’s tempting to “blame the tendons” and to become too focused on the elbow in seeking to relieve the pain, but I hope to show you that there is a bigger picture to see…

And much of it is in the muscles that actually create the “pull” on your tendons.

Muscles are there to create force or tension when we need to move and to keep us upright. When our muscles are in balance they contract when needed and relax when not needed.

But when our muscles are overworked and out of balance they can become persistently tight. And that stubborn muscle tension can become very harmful to our tendons if it continues too long:

How Stubborn Muscle Tension Causes Tennis Elbow

The relationship between muscle weakness and Tennis Elbow is a little less obvious. There are several ways that muscle weakness can cause problems some directly and some indirectly.

And sometimes, if the “Tennis Elbow muscles” themselves are weak enough all by themselves, they can cause pain that feels like something more serious than it really is:

How Muscle Weakness Causes Tennis Elbow

Damage is the real, defining issue. The kind and severity of the damage is what determines how bad your Tennis Elbow is.

Damage in your muscles is less serious and heals a lot more easily than damage to your tendons.

And one of the most important “key concepts” here is the understanding of how muscles and tendons heal and repair somewhat differently. Even thought they are two inseparable parts of the same “Unit” they have different healing challenges and needs:

How Muscle And Tendon Damage Causes Tennis Elbow


Tennis Elbow Treatment  |  Tennis Elbow Exercises  |  What IS Tennis Elbow?

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Tennis Elbow Causes Part 3 – (Video Prev. Img.)

How Muscle & Tendon Damage Causes Tennis Elbow

Tennis Elbow is caused by injury – by damage – to the tendons that connect to your outer elbow area (Lateral Epicondyle) and often damage to the muscles of those tendons – The tricky part is that the damage can come in several forms and they’re as different as night and day.
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Is swimming good or bad for Tennis Elbow or Golfer’s Elbow? (Does it cause or aggravate it?) And could swimming possibly be a good rehab exercise – Especially if swimming didn’t cause it? (OR should you definitely stop swimming until your injury heals?)

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Why Cycling + Mountain Biking Causes Golfer’s Or Tennis Elbow And How To Treat It

Overuse Sports Injuries are common among all kinds of cyclists, hence terms like “Mountain Bikers Elbow” and “Motocross Elbow.” Here’s how to treat and beat these injuries (which are usually Golfer’s or Tennis Elbow, technically) including bike fit and alignment tips for various bike types!

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Can gardening and landscaping injure you? It certainly can! Here’s how it causes Tennis Elbow, Golfer’s Elbow and other wrist and thumb tendon injuries – And how to treat it right, so you can keep digging, planting, pruning and enjoying!

How To END Your Tennis Elbow:

Are you tired of Tennis Elbow?

Sick And Tired Of Tennis Elbow?
If you're fed up with all the resting, hoping and waiting, and want to learn how to break your vicious Tennis Elbow cycle naturally, click HERE or above and watch the video.

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Tennis Elbow Causes Articles

Could Antibiotics Be The Cause Of Your Tennis Elbow, Golfer’s Elbow Or Other Tendon Injury Pain?

‘Fluoroquinolone’ antibiotics are unfortunately notorious for causing tendon damage – including Golfer’s and Tennis Elbow and, more seriously, Achilles Tendon ruptures. (Cipro being the most well-known and often prescribed drug in this class)

How Muscle & Tendon Damage Causes Tennis Elbow

Tennis Elbow is caused by injury – by damage – to the tendons that connect to your outer elbow area (Lateral Epicondyle) and often damage to the muscles of those tendons – The tricky part is that the damage can come in several forms and they’re as different as night and day.

How Muscle Weakness Causes Tennis Elbow

Muscle weakness is often partly a cause of Tennis Elbow (hand-in-hand with muscle tension) – So, why is it often so hard to make progress with exercises to strengthen those muscles?

Swimmer’s Elbow: Does Swimming Cause Tennis Or Golfer’s Elbow Or Can It Help You Recover From It?

Is swimming good or bad for Tennis Elbow or Golfer’s Elbow? (Does it cause or aggravate it?) And could swimming possibly be a good rehab exercise – Especially if swimming didn’t cause it? (OR should you definitely stop swimming until your injury heals?)

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If you have Guitar Elbow, don’t fret it! Here’s how to treat the real, underlying muscular causes of your injury – and keep playing your guitar, whether you have Tennis Elbow, Golfer’s Elbow or a wrist or finger tendon injury.

Gardener’s Elbow? How Gardening Causes Elbow Pain And Injury – And How To Treat It

Can gardening and landscaping injure you? It certainly can! Here’s how it causes Tennis Elbow, Golfer’s Elbow and other wrist and thumb tendon injuries – And how to treat it right, so you can keep digging, planting, pruning and enjoying!

How Stubborn Muscle Tension Causes Tennis Elbow

Very often it’s the gradual build-up of muscle tension that causes the relentless tightness that perpetuates the vicious pain and injury cycle. Could this be a part of what’s keeping you stuck in the Tennis Elbow Triple Trap?

Why Cycling + Mountain Biking Causes Golfer’s Or Tennis Elbow And How To Treat It

Overuse Sports Injuries are common among all kinds of cyclists, hence terms like “Mountain Bikers Elbow” and “Motocross Elbow.” Here’s how to treat and beat these injuries (which are usually Golfer’s or Tennis Elbow, technically) including bike fit and alignment tips for various bike types!

The Top Ten Causes Of Tennis Elbow

Tennis and Golfer’s Elbow are not injuries that strictly plague golfers and tennis players! Here are the ten most common sports, work, music and hobby activities that also notoriously cause Golfer’s and Tennis Elbow and what they all have in common.

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