Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) is a condition where pain is located on the outside (lateral) of your elbow where the tendons of your forearm muscles attach to the bony bump (epicondyle) on your elbow. The pain is usually reported from your elbow to the forearm and wrist. This a painful condition that occurs when medial muscles and tendons in your elbow are overloaded, usually by repetitive motions of the arm and wrist.
Tennis elbow is characterized by: lateral pain and discomfort; joint stiffness; muscle weakness; numbness or tingling. The pain of tennis elbow can come on suddenly or gradually. The pain might worsen with certain movements, such as holding an item or swinging a tennis racquet.
Despite its name, athletes aren’t the only people who develop tennis elbow. People whose jobs feature certain types of repetitive motions can lead to tennis elbow include plumbers, painters, carpenters and butchers.