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What better way to learn about an injury you currently have than to do more research on it! I decided to do my STEAM project on lateral epicondylitis, more commonly known as tennis elbow. I will dive deeper into why certain arm and wrist movements hurt more than others, and more specifically, why straps are worn to help reduce your pain, as illustrated in my painting on a boomerang.
Josie’s objective for her STEAM project was to “relate the interaction of muscles and the skeletal system” by emphasizing on lateral epicondylitis. Lateral epicondylitis is a common sports injury also known as tennis elbow. It effects a good portion of the population and usually effects adults between the ages of 20 and 65. The injury is primarily caused by overextension and overuse of the wrist. Due to the overuse and extension, the extensor muscles become inflamed and cause you pain at the lateral epicondyle of the humerus. Contrary to its name tennis elbow, although tennis can play a part in lateral epicondylitis it can be caused by a number of different things as well. A method to reduce the pain in the elbow is by applying an orthopedic strap. This strap is fitted just below the elbow, tight enough but not too tight where it cuts off circulation. The strap will put enough pressure on the lateral epicondyle to relieve tension and decrease the pain. Josie’s boomerang painting was a creative way to portray the lateral epicondylitis of the elbow. She painted the muscles and tendons accurately while using some string to show how the elbow strap is used. Like Josie, I have suffered with tennis elbow too. I played tennis for 8 years without any issues in my elbow, but as soon as I started weight lifting it became irritated and inflamed. It’s crazy how the body works.