By Excel V. Dyquiangco
One of the infamous injuries when playing the sport of tennis, or even the sport of golf, is what is called tennis or golf elbow, or in scientific terms, lateral epicondylitis, which describes a sort pain on the outside part of the elbow. Tennis elbow symptoms happen when there is damage to the end of the tendon that connects lower-arm and hand muscles to the upper arm bone at the elbow.
Because of the repetitive twisting movement of the hands, wrist or forearm done during the holding of the racquet, the flinching the ball to the other side of the court, or the repetitive movement of the wrists in handling golf clubs, as always, tennis and golf players are usually the ones most prone to this kind of ailment.
But there are also some activities in which tennis elbow plays a huge part, such as gardening, carpentry or just plain using the screwdriver or scissors for any kinds of activities.
There are many ways in which to cure tennis elbows and the most common is through surgery. The doctor may suggest an arthroscopic examination of your outer elbow area, with a plan to do surgery if necessary. The most common types of tennis elbow surgery are:
- Removal of scar tissue from the damaged tendon area.
- Release (cutting) of the tendon that attaches the extensor carpi radialis brevis (ECRB) muscle to the bone. The ECRB attachment is thought to be the most common site of tennis elbow damage. 4
There are also other types of procedures which include:
- Drilling small, shallow holes in the bone to encourage growth of new blood vessels. This helps bring blood to the area and stimulates tendon healing.
- Repairing (reattaching) tendon tears if it’s possible to do it without overtightening the tendon.
But of course, with this procedure, many opt to lay their chances on a treatment that is less expensive – through massage. Massage does not only alleviate the pain but it actually helps cure what is inside too – parts that are pertinent to the said injury such as the digestive system, the immune system, the brain and the nervous system.
And best of all, massage therapy includes the power of touch which as everyone knows have an inductive effect to pain.
Massage actually stimulates the brain to release endorphins which help to control pain and alleviate tension, especially when tennis or golf players experience these on their wrists. Massage can make anyone more tranquil if stressed, or invigorate if tired. In addition to endorphins, blood levels of the hormone noradrenaline rise during massage, which has a feel-good effect on our mood.
For the skin, bloodstream and muscles, massage improves the efficiency of the oil and sweat glands and thus the skin’s role in temperature control. It also increases oxygenated blood flow to the skin and muscles and helps rid the body of toxins. Levels of myoglobin — a protein found only in muscle tissue and associated with the transport of oxygen in the blood — rise significantly within three hours of massage. Painful contracted muscles are soothed by the effects of massage.
In the digestive system, the production of saliva and digestive juices is increased thus improving digestion. Massage can also help resolve constipation and increase urine output.
On the other hand, the immune system also stimulates the lymphatic system which carries large numbers of white blood cells, mostly lymphocytes, which help to protect against viral infections and cancer, and detoxify waste products, such as lactic acid, when they are released into the bloodstream.
Tags: Massage for players, Tennis Tips, Golf Tips
