2005/12/04, 09:16 AM
if its lateral epicondylitis there should be pain up by your epicondyle, that little nobby thing on the outside. if you want to try a couple of tests, here (you might need a partner):
1. sitting, lay your hand and foream on a table, palm down. make a fist and bring your hand back into extension. now for the action, you keep trying to extend your hand back while your partner resists the movement by holding the back of your hand. dont try to overpower then, just meet their resistance. u should be looking for pain and weakness.
2. sitting, put your hand in a neutral position (ie thumb up). you are going to try to supinate your hand against your partners resistance (turning it palm up). again, just meet their resistance, dont try to overpower them, looking for pain and weakness at the same spot.
in terms of protecting and preventing it from getting worse, try to minimize doorknob turning sort of movements as much as possible, and look into getting a counter pressure strap for your wrist extensors. this will help disperse the force, and not center it all on your epicondyle.
when your playing any kind of sport, try to keep your hand in a neutral position, not flexed forward or extended backward. you should also do some eccentric wrist extensor exercises, like focusing on the lowering phase of a reverse wrist curl when you feel you are up to training it.
this is the best i can guess without actually seeing it and testing it. hope this works for you, good luck!