Clinical analysis of Tennis Elbow: 148 Cases Analysis

Cho, Duck Yun; Haam, Young Gil; Lee, Zoon Myung

Abstract

One hundred and forty eight cases of tennis elbow were treated by conservative managements firstly such as rest, medication, immobilization, physical therapy and/or local steroid injection, from Jan. 1985 to Jun. 1994 at Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, National Medical Center. Among the 148 cases, 16 cases who failed conservative managements, were treated with Nirschl & Pettrone operation. The results were summarized as follows, 1. Among the 148 cases, 110 cases(74%) were female, and 61 cases(41.2%) were in the age group 41 to 50 years old, and mean age was 42.3 years old. 2. Ninty nine cases were housewives and only 15 cases were related to sports. 3. The conservative results of one hundred and sixteen patients were graded excellent and good; and of thirty two patients, fair and failure. 4. The operative results of seven patients were graded excellent; of three, good; of four, fair; and of two, failed. 5. Recurence was developed in 18 cases(12.2%), and we obtained excellent and good result in 17 cases with both conservative and operative treatment. Above results suggest that the term, tennis elbow is a misnomer because it occurs more commonly in non-athletes such as housewives than in tennis players. So it seems to be an occupational disease rather that sports injury. Now, we propose to eliminate of the term of tennis elbow and to substitude with new terminology that describes the true understanding and therapeutic orientation of it.