ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, June 25, 1996 TAG: 9606250022
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 3 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: Health Notes
SOURCE: SANDRA BROWN KELLY
Of course, we all know that playing tennis isn't the only way to get tennis elbow. But this is as good a season as any to talk about how to avoid this painful condition or treat it if you can't avoid it.
Tennis elbow, according to the American College of Sports Medicine, occurs in athletes and laborers and is a label for several conditions that center on the medial (inner) and lateral (outer) areas of the elbow.
The term "tendinitis," meaning inflamed tendon, is not the correct term for this problem, although some dictionaries use them interchangeably.
Lateral tennis elbow involves microscopic tears to the attachment of the muscles on the outside of the elbow at the site of muscles that extend the wrist and fingers. The problem, which usually hits people between the ages of 30 and 50, is compounded by repetitive overuse and incomplete healing and involves a gradual onset of pain.
It might hurt to shake hands, open a door, hold a coffee cup to drink or pour milk from a container.
Medial tennis elbow occurs mostly in younger athletes who play sports such as tennis or baseball. It hits where the muscle attaches on the inside of the elbow and is often caused by failure to warm up properly, improper technique and fatigue.
Whichever kind of elbow-itis you have, it usually can be treated without surgery with rest, ice, anti-inflammatory medications and gentle stretching of the muscles. Cortisone injections sometimes are given but should not be used too often, sports medicine experts say. Surgery might be the answer if the pain persists and interrupts normal activity after six months of rehabilitation.
Once you don't hurt anymore, review your equipment, the way you work or play and how you stay fit for the work or play. Then make changes needed so you don't aggravate the elbow again.
To prevent tennis elbow: Brace the elbow a short distance from the pain before the pain gets forceful. Check your racket grip size; it should be the same as the distance from the tip of the ring finger to the crease at the base of the thumb (the palmar crease). Don't compensate for weak legs, back, or shoulders by throwing or swinging harder.
Travel health
Head colds and questionable water can both be troublesome for travelers, notes the Travel Medicine Service at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.
If you have a severe head cold, you probably should postpone an airline flight until you're better. But if you must go, use a decongestant or nasal spray before takeoff. For long flights, time the decongestant dosage so that it can be taken an hour before landing.
On the subject of water: In less developed parts of the world, brushing your teeth, soaking your dentures, or cleaning contact lens in tap water can be risky. If there is any question of the sanitation of an area, avoid untreated water altogether or invest in a good water filter to take with you.
And if you do order bottled water, ask that it be served without ice unless you can be assured that the water the ice was made from was treated. A group I traveled to Central America with a few years ago learned about untreated ice the hard way, and it's something you want to avoid.
Generally, the local bottled beer is OK. Remember to wipe the cap thoroughly before you open the beer. El Presidente got me safely through one country.
AIDS education
Jo Burke, a registered nurse and certified HIV/AIDS education instructor, will hold a free class on HIV/AIDS facts July 18 from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Southwest Virginia HIV/AIDS Resource & Consultation Center.
To register and find out the site for the class, call 985-9755 or (800)950-4056 by July 4. The site will depend on the number registered, said Paula Robertson, administrative assistant with the center.
Cancer relay
Don't forget that the 24-hour American Cancer Society Relay starts Friday night at Victory Stadium. It's an all-night bash, so if you have insomnia, it's somewhere to go; and if you have extra money, the teams that are walking and running to raise funds will welcome it.
Relay sponsors have signed up 118 teams; last year, 87 teams participated. Call (540)344-8699.
You can contact Sandra Brown Kelly at (540)981-3393 in the Roanoke Valley; at (800)346-1234 ext. 393 outside the valley; or through e-mail at biznews@roanoke.infi.net. Suggestions for column subjects are welcome.
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