'When someone experiences elbow pain, the most common cause is tennis elbow. However, it can be easy to confuse tennis elbow with cubital tunnel syndrome, since both can result in a very sore elbow and unusable arm.

Description

Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) is a painful inflammation of the tendon on the outside (lateral aspect) of the elbow.

Cubital tunnel syndrome is a painful compression of the ulnar nerve on the inside of the elbow.

Cause

Tennis elbow is caused by the pull of the muscles which extend the wrist and fingers. It is a common injury for amateur tennis players who have: 1) one-hand backhand with poor technique, 2) late forehand swing with wrist snap, and/or 3) hard serve with wrist snap or palm turned downward.

Cubital tunnel syndrome is caused by irritation or injury to the ulnar nerve. It is frequently caused by using a computer, sleeping on bent elbows, repetitive factory work, long distance driving, or playing a musical instrument.

Symptoms

The main symptoms of tennis elbow are difficulty holding, pinching, or gripping objects; pain and stiffness in the elbow; and forearm muscle tightness and weakness.

The main symptoms of cubital tunnel syndrome are tingling and numbness of the ring and little fingers, and pain along the inside forearm near the elbow. Over time the elbow may become very sore, and hand muscles can become numb and weak, resulting in a slow atrophy of the arm.'

Article originally appeared on http://www.cubital-tunnel.com/blog/tennis-elbow-vs-cubital-tunnel-syndrome/

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